Fruit nectar

Fruit nectars are produced from fruit slurries or whole fmits by homogenization in the presence of sugar, water and, when necessary, citric and ascorbic acids. The fruit content (as fresh weight) is 25-50% and is regulated in most countries, as is the minimum total acid content. Apricots, pears, strawberries, peaches and sour cherries are suitable for nectar production. The fruits are washed, rinsed, disintegrated and heated to inactivate the enzymes present. The fruit mash is then treated with a suitable mixture of pectinolytic and cellulolytic enzymes. The treatment degrades protopectin and, thus, separates the tissue into its individual intact cells ( maceration ). 

High molecular weight and highly esterified pectin formed from protopectin provides the high viscosity and the required turbidity for the nectar. Finally, the disintegrated product is filtered hot, then saturated with the usual additives, homogenized and pasteurized. 

Fruit products from citms fruits (comminuted bases) are obtained by autoclaving (2-3 min at 0.3 MPa) and then straining the fmits through sieves, followed by homogenization. Fmit nectars also include juices or juice concentrates from berries or stone fmits, adjusted by addition of water and sugar. 

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What is a fruit juice Various definitions have been suggested, but the one used in the UK Fruit Juice and Fruit Nectars Regulations of 2003 may be helpful. These regulations implement EU Directive 2001/112/EC. Four alternatives are accepted as defining fruit juice (at least within the United Kingdom). 

An additional description refers to fruit nectars. The Schedule referred to above give more precise definitions of fruit juice. 

UK Fruit Juices and Fruit Nectars Regulations 2003, Statutory Instrument 2003 No. 1564, HMSO, London. 

Anon (2003b) Fruit Juice and fruit nectars (England) regulations 2003. 2003 SI 1564. 

Fruit juices, concentrated fruit juices (for direct consumption), and fruit nectars 0.05... 

Canned fruit nectars preservative, nutrient not more than 150 ppm, amounts to provide not less than 30 mg or more than 60 mg/4 fl oz... 

Carle, R., Cloud stabdity of fruit-rich tropical fruit nectars. Elussiges Obst W(11), 692-698 (1998)... 

LUH Chemical Changes in AsepticaUy Processed Kiwi Fruit Nectars... 

The sensory quality of fruit nectars depends largely on the pH value, acidity, and sugar content of the fruit at processing time. Control of the ripeness and adjustment of sweetness in relation to the acidity are two major procedures in order to produce high quality nectars. The klwlfrult itself is rather strong in flavor, thus the adding of water and sugars to lower down the acidity and to improve the sweetness taste will improve the sensory appeal. For most of the fruit nectars, the fruit content is now 45% (Standard of identity). The former standard was 50% fruit in the nectar. 

Another practical example showing the preservative effect of added sucrose is given by Cruess and Glazewski (24) in the preservation of frozen pack fruit nectars. Nectars made from apricots—peach, plum, and guava and various blends— can be prepared and stored at 0° F. for a long period of time with little loss of fresh fruit flavor. 

Juices from acidic fruits are usually sweetened by adding sucrose, glucose or fructose. Juices used for furtber processing usually contain chemical preservatives to inhibit fermentation. Some juices from berries and stone fruits, because of tbeir bigb acid content, are not suitable for direct consumption. Addition of sugar and subsequent dilution with water provides fruit nectars or sweet musts (cf. 18.2.9). Since 1990, the per capita consumption of fruit juice and fruit nectar in Germany has been fairly constant at 401. In the case of fruit juices, the products presented in Table 18.39 are predominant. 

A pulpy fruit drink made from various combinations of ingredients such as water, fruit puree, fruit pulp, fruit juice, sweetenetfs), citric acid, and vitamin C. The minimum amounts of fruit ingredient for each of the types of nectar are specified in the Standards Of Identity which have been established by the FDA. Some of the fruit nectars sold in the United States are apricot, guava, mango, papaya, peach, and pear. 

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