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Citrus Uses
- Processed citrus
products
- Citrus by-products
- Other uses
Citrus fruits are consumed as fresh fruit or utilized
for the obtention of processed citrus products and
citrus by-products. Approximately one third of total
citrus production is utilized for processing. This
proportion is higher in the case of oranges as more than
40% of globally produced oranges are utilized for
processing. In addition, oranges utilization for
processing accounts for more than 80% of total citrus
utilization for processing. The proportion of grapefruit
utilization for processing is similar to that of orange.
In contrast, nearly all small citrus fruits of the
tangerine type are intended for consumption in the fresh
market. Lemons and limes are somehow different since
they are normally consumed in association with other
food products. They are grown mainly for the fresh
market and their juice is used primarily as a flavoring
in beverages.
The varieties of oranges that are grown depend on the
purpose of the fruit. Among the most well known are the
Navel variety for fresh fruit consumption and Valencia
variety for the obtention of orange juice. Oranges that
do not meet the quality levels, for consumption as fresh
fruits or for processing, are diverted and, together
with the pulp and peels obtained from processed oranges,
used for the obtention of by-products.
Processed citrus products
By and large, the most important processed citrus fruits
product is orange juice. It is measured in brix degrees
value, which is a measure of concentration of solids and
of the sugar/acid ratio
(See Citrus Reference Book, Conversions and Equivalents
and Basic Metric Conversions, Florida Citrus Mutual, for
the different measures).
Orange juice can be presented in different forms. The
major types of orange juice are the following:
Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice
The juice is squeezed from fresh fruit and packaged in
paper cartons, glass or plastic containers, without
being pasteurized. The product is clearly labeled and
located in the produce or dairy section of the grocery
store, with a shelf life of only a few days. It is also
typically made at home. Traditionally, an important
proportion of European orange juice consumers has
preferred to freshly squeeze oranges at home.
Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice (FCOJ)
Frozen Concentrated Orange Juice (FCOJ) is the most
widely traded as a commodity in the international
market, normally at 65º Brix. FCOJ is obtained by
removing, through evaporation, the water from the orange
juice of fresh, ripe oranges that have been graded,
sorted, washed and squeezed in extraction machines. It
is then stored at 20ºF or lower until it is sold or
packaged for sale. FCOJ is seven-to-one strength ratio
to normal single-strength orange juice.
Consumers reconstitute the FCOJ at home by adding water
to the concentrate. At one time this used to be the
dominant type of orange juice sold in the United States.
However, due to increasing consumer preference for more
convenient ready-to-drink orange juice, FCOJ has lost
its supremacy.
FCOJ can be stored for several years at the adequate
temperature.
The process of obtention of FCOJ is illustrated in
the following chart:
Source: Frozen Concentrated Orange
Juice From Florida Oranges, Richard F. Matthews, Florida
Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and
Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, April
1994.
Not-From-Concentrate Orange Juice (NFC)
NFC orange juice is processed and pasteurized by flash
heating immediately after squeezing the fruit, without
removing the water content from the juice. NFC is never
concentrated. Transportation costs are therefore higher
since, in order to ship an equivalent volume of NFC
compared to FCOJ, six time the volume must be shipped.
NFC can be stored freezed or chilled for at least a
year.
Demand for NFC has been steadily increasing in North
America and in Europe since the nineties. NFC is
perceived as the closest match to freshly squeezed juice
in flavor, offering a convenient ready-to serve package
that is easier to use than frozen orange juice. The
quality of NFC is considered to be higher than that of
other types of orange juice.
See: European Markets for NFC: Supply and Demand Issues,
Feb. 2001. IW01-2, International Working Paper Series.
Refrigerated Orange Juice from Concentrate (RECON)
RECON is a juice that has been processed to obtain the
frozen concentrate and then reconstituted by adding back
the water that had been originally removed.
Reconstituted single strength juice is normally
reconditioned by the packager or the beverage industry
and sold as a ready-to-serve product either in chilled
form or in aseptic form sold in bottles or cartons
without the need of refrigeration.
Additional information on orange juice can be found in:
Glossary of Juicy Terms, Florida Department of Citrus
The Orange Juice Production Process and Product Forms,
Ultimate Citrus
Orange and Other Citrus Juices, Florida Cooperative
Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, University of Florida. EDIS
Competitive Behavior in Orange Juice Markets, Binkley,
J. et al, Economic Research Service, USDA, Fruit and
Tree Nuts, September 2001.
In addition, citrus fruits can be processed to obtain
other food products, such as dehydrated citrus products
or marmalade and jams.
Citrus by-products
Citrus essential oils
Essential oils are volatile oils obtained from the
citrus fruits peel´s sacks. They are used by the food
industry to give flavor to drinks and foods. They are
also a component for the pharmaceutical industry for the
preparation of medicines and soaps, perfumes and other
cosmetics, as well as for home cleaning products.
For example, see Citrus and Allied Essences or Citrus
Magic.
D-limonene
D-Limonene is a major component of the oil extracted
from lemon and orange rinds or solids. It is considered
as one of the purest sources of monocyclic terpene. It
is used for industrial solvents and as an element for
the synthesis of other chemical materials. It is also
used as a flavor and aromatic component. See:
d-Limonene: The Safe Citrus Solvent, Florida Chemical
Citrus pulp pellets
Citrus pulp pellets are the result of the conversion of
peels and pulps that have been left behind once the
juice has been extracted. They are used for animal
breeding.
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