How Is Apple Juice Made When Apples Are Not In Season?
5October 7, 2009 by Atila
Lets say all apples in a particular country are collected in Septemeber. Also, this country does not import apples from other countries where apples are fresh and in season. Would the apple juice I drink in May be from the apples picked in Septmenber? If so, then there must be a lot of perservatives to keep it from going bad.Isn’t that bad for my health?
Category Apple | Tags: Apple, Apples, Juice, Made, Season
Apples keep very well in cold storage. Probably better than any other fruit. That’s why you see fresh apples in the markets year round, even U.S. apples.
It is more cost effective to produce apple juice when the apples are in season, but it can be produced from apples that have been in storage as well.
Apple juice usually does not contain artificial preservatives. It is sterilized and bottled, or frozen as concentrate. No preservatives needed.
Fruit and vegetables are also often kept in cold storage for many months after harvesting. THis is the reason you can buy “fresh” apples all year – some are imported from other countries, but many have come from cold storage.
But juice would be made from concentrate, like others have said, which is made at apple season and then kept frozen.
Everything you eat has preservatives in it these days. Most fruits and vegetables are available year round, although they tend to lose flavor when not in season.
You can buy certified organic or local – that may help. Check farmer’s markets.
Health-wise, I would worry more about the sugar content. Check out the source at the FDA. They regulate what is generally safe to eat, or not
When apples are harvested, very few go to the market as fresh apples. Most are either used to make juice, applesauce, etc. The juice is boiled down to make a concentrate, and then frozen.
If you read the can on apple juice, it will probably say “made from concentrate”.
I guess you answered your own question.