Juices are made from extracting or pressing the natural liquid out of fruits and vegetables. While fruit juices have been a popular mainstream beverage for decades, more inventive juices are hitting the market today.
Juicing Innovation
Juice manufacturers are blending fruit and vegetable juices, adding in exotic spices for flavoring, or ingredients like charcoal and algae for supposed health benefits. The strong flavor of many fruit juices make them ideal for disguising the flavor of less appealing health ingredients (such as charcoal).
Juices are also a quick and easy alternative for those who are looking to incorporate more produce into their diet on the go, with some bottled juices boasting a pound of produce or more in each bottle.
Many fruit juices are naturally high in sugar content, which could produce a problem in todays more sugar-conscious market, but this also provides opportunity for beverage producers to formulate creative blends that are low in natural sugar but high in flavor.
Production Decisions
There is some conflict over best juicing practices, including whether or not using high speed juicers that create heat may be detrimental to the vitamin content of the final product. Cold-pressed juices are more expensive to produce, but seem to be preferred over pasteurized juices in the “health drink” arena.
Although popular, cold-pressed juice usually carries a high price tag and has a short shelf life. Juice boutiques where customers can buy cold-pressed juices have become popular in most major cities, but many larger juice companies have yet to meet the demand for less processed juices that are lower in sugar. Juices are becoming more and more popular as a “health drink” option with the introduction of vegetable juices and even juice cleanses for detoxification and weight loss.
As high-sugar fruit juices are replaced or supplemented with the addition of more nutritional ingredients, juices are poised to take up space in the health and wellness beverage industry, with nearly limitless opportunities for experimentation with flavor, packaging, and marketing.
