NOT A DAY WITHOUT JUICE

To drink or not to drink, that is the question.  What is the fruit juice in this plastic packaging?  Is it healthy?  Many consumers ask themselves these questions.  But even if the consumer does not know everything about the production of fruit juices, he or she still prefers natural juices, believing that carbonated drinks might be harmful to their health.  And, overall, they are right:  even if fruit juices cannot be an alternative to fruit, they can be an alternative to fizzy drinks.  However, the universal truth that tastes vary applies here too.  To what extent the juices produced in the country meet the standards, norms and rules is a different matter.  We know that these issues are controlled by the State Committee for standardization, metrology and patents (SCSMP).  R+ was told by the press service of the department that regular testing on the Azerbaijani fruit juice market shows that not all is well in this sector - some manufacturers do not fully realize the extent of their responsibility for the produce they manufacture.  Not so long ago, the SCSMP banned the production of the Portagal brand of fruit juices by Can-Pa Ltd.  Lab tests of Portagal juices found that coliform bacteria were present.  The physical and chemical properties of the products also failed to meet standards.  What can we do?  How can we identify the good products among the huge variety of juices produced by different companies, which promise that their juices contain the largest number of vitamins and also taste best?  The SCSMP suggests that customers should buy juices from producers with good reputations and stop skimping on their own health:  price is a good indicator of the quality of the juice - the higher the price, the better the quality.  But before talking about the pricing of these products, we need to look into what juices are and what types are available.

Fruit, then juice...

No one doubts today that natural juices are good for the health.  Nevertheless, many people wonder whether a glass of juice contains the same amount of vitamins as the fruit itself.  They are equivalent, but only if the juice is 100% natural.  For example, a glass of orange juice contains 50-70 milligrams of vitamin C, the same amount as in 100 grams of orange pulp.  In fact, this is the daily requirement for the human body.  Fruit juices are good as sources of glucose, fructose and minerals.  In addition, juices contain pectin, a polysaccharide which normalizes the functions of the digestive system and reduces blood cholesterol.  But still, the content of vitamins and minerals in different juices varies.  Freshly squeezed juices contain the largest amount of vitamins - this has been proven by lab tests.  The content of valuable chemical substances in fresh fruit and berries, and in freshly squeezed juices is effectively the same, although the peel too, which is not used in production, contains small amounts of vitamins.  So, customers should know that only 100% natural juice, which is not very widely available in the Azerbaijani market, has the required amount of vitamins, carbohydrates and minerals, although almost every pack reads that the juice inside is natural.  There are many brands, but the SCSMP admits that the quality of many leaves much to be desired, and they are not as healthy and natural.  Some 80% of the Azerbaijani market is occupied by juices which are produced from concentrates.  And despite the debates surrounding this type of product, researchers concur that it is healthy, too.

Concentrated juices

Kamil Ismayilov, chief technologist of the Qabala canned food plant, told R+ that the company specializes in the production of concentrates and freshly squeezed juices.  What does concentrate mean?  The concentrate is produced by removing all the water from freshly squeezed juice.  "The technology for this type of juice production is an international standard," Ismayilov stressed.  The process of concentration more than doubles the content of soluble dry substances in the juice.  The liquid is evaporated at lowered pressure in a vacuum.  Water boils at 65-70 degrees under these conditions.  Heating under lower pressure preserves vitamins and checks the growth of microflora.  The concentrated juice is a dense syrup which is stored at temperatures below 18 degrees centigrade.  Peaches, apricots, apples, plums, cherries and currants are processed in this manner.  "This type of product is easier to keep and transport.  We do not use fruit from greenhouses in our production cycle.  This is why we keep summer season fruit for the winter by turning them into concentrate."  100%-natural juice of good quality is achieved when concentrate is mixed with the same amount of liquid and sugar syrup (water and sugar) as was removed when the concentrate was produced.  "Our company has strict water standards.  We use artesian water.  It must not contain any admixtures which might influence the taste, physical or chemical properties or result in microbiological contamination of the juice.  This is why the water used to produce juice from concentrate undergoes several stages of purification," Ismayilov stressed.  According to the technologist, freshly squeezed juice is mainly made from pomegranates.

Kamil Ismayilov stressed that the production of juices at the facility meets the following GOSTs [state standards]:  freshly squeezed juice which is not mixed with water, 100% natural - GOST #656-79, peach juice - AZS (206, 203) - 40% concentrate and 60% sugar syrup (water); blackcurrant juice - #657-79 - 40% concentrate and 60% sugar syrup.

Natural juice?

Nutritional specialists say that of 21st century products, juices and juice-containing drinks are one of the best ways of improving nutrition.  Juice-containing drinks can be used as functional foodstuffs of modified chemical structure, enriched with additional components, like  vitamins, minerals and microelements.  It is easy to calculate how much a glass of natural juice should cost:  for example, 1 ton of orange juice concentrate costs about $1,000 in the market today.  Producing one litre of the drink will require about 200 grams of juice concentrate.  This is why it can be said for sure that an expensive juice is really natural.  One or two glasses of juice a day, beginning at the age of 2 or 3 should become a routine part of our daily ration.  But how can we know when we buy the juice that we are not buying a substandard, poor-quality product instead of natural juice?  Unfortunately, the only guarantee of quality today is the good name of the manufacturer and regular monitoring by the appropriate services.  Specialists advise us to read the manufacturing and expiry dates on packaging.  If the juice is in a glass bottle, opening should produce a popping sound, if there is no sound, poisoning is possible.

Major manufacturers always indicate the full list of ingredients, calorific value and the manufacturing and expiry dates of the product on packaging.  Quality manufacturers have strict quality control services to monitor the quality of raw materials and the entire production process - the entire process should meet strict sanitary and safety standards.  Never buy food in dubious places.  And always prefer specialist shops.