RETENTION OF FRESH ORANGE JUICE FLAVOR AND AROMA IN AN AQUEOUS DISTILLATE FROM VALENCIA ORANGE JUICE

Freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice distilled at low temperature an d reduced pressure, yielded an aqueous distillate with the necessary b alance of volatile flavor and aroma constituents to retain the fresh j uice characteristics. Flavor comparisons by an experienced sensory pan el determined that orange juice reconstituted by combining the aqueous distillate with the residual juice solids had significantly more fres h juice character than reconstituted commercial frozen concentrated or ange juice; commercial not pasteurized single strength orange juice (S SOJ); pasteurized SSOJ, not from concentrate; canned SSOJ, from concen trate; or aseptically packed SSOJ, from concentrate. The panel also fo und no significant difference in fresh juice characteristics between f reshly squeezed orange juice and distillate and residual solids recomb ined from the same juice sample. Fifty four volatile constituents were identified from the aqueous distillate of freshly squeezed orange jui ce.