Tropicana Products, Inc.

Richard N McArdle

Stephen A Letourneau

Renee Irvine Mellican

Carla R McGill

Keith Seaman

Osvaldo A Chu

Therese Cetrulo

Cindy L Hart

Nancy R Green

Kristin Parshall

Albert D Bolles

Citrus juice beverage products and their method of production are formulated to reduce the sugar content of the beverage while the beverage products have sensory, taste, mouth feel and texture characteristics that mimic those of whole citrus juice. Orange juice beverage products are especially preferred. The beverage products have a relatively low Brix, on the order of between about 7 and about 8 Brix. Also included in the beverage products is a sweetener which does not add a significant caloric load to the beverage product. A sinking pulp added to the beverage product in an amount to achieve texture and other sensory characteristics of a whole juice.

Reduced sugar citrus juice beverage

Orange juice products and their method of production are varied in their naturally occurring combination of sinking solids and serum. Included is separating sinking solids from serum in order to prepare the orange juice products. Included are orange juice products which mimic not from concentrate (NFC) blends of freshly extracted and stored orange juices from different cultivars by adding separated sinking solids from one of the cultivars and reducing the amount of whole juice from that cultivar which is incorporated into the NFC blend.

Orange juice products attained by manipulation of sinking solids

Citrus juice beverages having an oil soluble flavor antioxidant added thereto are provided. A tocopherol antioxidant, other than alpha-tocopherol, is added to a citrus juice beverage, such as orange juice, to preserve the flavor sensory attributes of stored juice without deteriorating the initial flavor sensory attributes of the juice.

Tocopherols as flavor antioxidant in citrus juice

Disclosed are improved orange juice products and processes of preparing the products. Included is a natural enhancement powder which originates from the flavedo of citrus peel such as orange peel or tangerine peel. The peel flavedo is washed with an organic solvent suitable for use in food processing, dried and reduced in particle size and added as a powder to the orange juice in order to enhance the juice, such as raise the Color Value of the orange juice, typically by at least 1 OJ Index unit or more. By this approach, an orange juice which is Grade B in color is changed into an orange juice which meets Grade A color criteria. Other juice enhancements also are realized.

Method of making flavedo powder for enhancement of orange juice and products thereof

Reducing heartburn episodes is achieved in individuals having an orange juice intolerance or food allergy. The orange juice product has a low titratable acidity which combines with a condition resulting after addition of a calcium source such as a calcium citrate source. Individuals prone to orange juice induced heartburn episodes experience a reduced incidence of these heartburn episodes.

Reduction of heartburn episodes after ingestion of orange juice

Reducing heartburn episodes is achieved in individuals having an orange juice intolerance or food allergy. The orange juice product has a low titratable acidity and a low oil condition, which can be combined with addition of a calcium source. Individuals prone to orange juice induced heartburn episodes experience a reduced incidence of heartburn episodes.

Reduction of heartburn episodes upon ingestion of orange juice

Disclosed are improved orange juice products and processes of preparing the products. Included is a natural enhancement powder which originates from the flavedo of citrus peel such as orange peel or tangerine peel. The peel flavedo is dried and reduced in particle size and added as a powder to the orange juice in order to enhance the juice, such as raise the Color Value of the orange juice, typically by at least 1 OJ Index unit or more. By this approach, an orange juice which is Grade B in color is changed into an orange juice which meets Grade A color criteria. Other juice enhancements also are realized.

Growing community of inventors

Bradenton, FL, United States of America

Richard N McArdle