Quality Of Orange Juice Research Articles

Fertilisation and pesticides affect mandarin orange nutrient composition

The effects of the application of foliar fertilisation and pesticide on nutritional quality of mandarin orange juices were evaluated using (1)H NMR metabolomics. Significant differences between the use of fertiliser and pesticides during fruit formation were observed, and included changes in sugar, amino acid and organic acid composition. To determine whether the difference in sugar concentration was enough for the consumer to detect, a sensory experiment was performed in which two orange juice samples were prepared to resemble the sweet/sour taste balance of juice from mandarin oranges in which foliar fertilisation was either applied or not. In a test using non-trained individuals, 68% could correctly identify which juice had a sourer, or less sweet, taste. The implications of this study could impact citrus growers, and ultimately aid in development of fruit with superior sensory quality.

Effect of extraction method on quality of orange juice: hand‐squeezed, commercial‐fresh squeezed and processed

Fresh orange juice is perceived to be more wholesome than processed juice. Fresh juice may have flavor and nutrients that differ from pasteurized or processed juice. 'Hamlin' and 'Valencia' oranges were extracted using a commercial food service juicer, pasteurized or not, resulting in fresh-commercial juice (FCJ) or pasteurized juice (FCPJ) for comparison with pasteurized processed juice (PPJ) in 2009, and gently hand-squeezed 'Valencia' juice (HSJ) in 2010 for quality attributes. There was higher peel oil, lower pectin content, and less cloud loss in FCJ/FCPJ compared to PPJ and HSJ regardless of pasteurization. Titratable acidity was generally higher and the ratio of solids to acids lower in FCJ/FCPJ or HSJ compared to PPJ. FCJ/FCPJ had generally higher levels of most aroma volatiles than did PPJ and, overall, the highest esters and terpenes, while methanol and ethanol levels were highest in HSJ. For sensory evaluation, FCJ/FCPJ had more peel oil and PPJ more cooked flavor than other samples, while 'Valencia' HSJ was preferred over the other juices. High peel oil content and thermo-pasteurization process decreased cloud loss of orange juice. Extraction and finishing processes rather than pasteurization or oil content were major factors in influencing orange juice flavor quality.

Effect of Oxygen Scavenging Packaging on Orange Juice Quality

Physical and chemical quality including vitamin C, TSS, browning index and pH and sensory quality indexes including appearance, color and odor of orange juice were studied during the storage under ambient temperature, take oxygen scavenging films (OSF) as the packaging materials, and high barrier packaging and normal food packaging as the control group. Experimental results showed vitamin C, total soluble solid and pH value of orange juice packed in oxygen scavenging packaging were higher than that in control group, browning index was significantly lower than that in control group, and the sensory quality evaluation was better than that in control group after storage for 5 weeks. This indicated that oxygen scavenging packaging can remove oxygen in package headspace, prevent oxygen from penetrating into package from outside, and form a lower oxygen concentration environment in package. And it can obviously retard the degradation of vitamin C and sugar, delay the browning, delay the decline of orange juice quality, and prolong the shelf life of orange juice.

Impact of ultra high pressure homogenization on pectin methylesterase activity and microbial characteristics of orange juice: A comparative study against conventional heat pasteurization

The effect of different ultra high pressure homogenization (UHPH) treatments on pectin methylesterase (PME) activity and on the contaminating microorganisms of orange juice was investigated. The treatments consisted in combinations of two inlet temperatures (10 or 20 °C), three pressures (100, 200 or 300 MPa) and two holding times (≤ 0.7 or 30 s). Results were compared with two thermal pasteurization treatments (1 and 2 min at 90 °C). Shelf-life of treated juices was evaluated for a period of 50 days at 4 °C. Mean bacterial counts in raw orange juice were: mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB) 4.75 ± 0.48 Log CFU/ml; psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria (PAB) 4.58 ± 0.30 Log CFU/ml; lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) 4.69 ± 0.40 Log CFU/ml; yeasts 4.26 ± 0.16 Log CFU/ml. UHPH treatments at 200 and 300 MPa reduced significantly the counts of all the microbial groups up to 4.38 Log CFU/ml for MAB; to 4.43 Log CFU/ml for PAB; to 4.69 Log CFU/ml for LAB and to undetectable from the rest of the group. No significant differences were observed with the thermal pasteurization. These treatments also reduced the PME activity above the 96% of its initial activity. The effect of increasing the inlet temperature from 10 to 20 °C, or the holding time (time during which the sample remains at the maximum temperature achieved) did not increase the efficacy of treatments above 200 MPa. During the later 50 days of storage at 4 °C neither the microbial count nor the PME activity increased their values and no differences were observed with the pasteurized samples during this period. Today, consumer demands are more and more directed toward high-quality, additive free, minimally processed, nutritious, and fresh like products. Thermal pasteurization in fruit juice processing has as primary purpose to destroy pathogenic and deteriorative organisms as well as inactivate undesirable enzymes. Nevertheless, high pasteurization temperatures impact negatively on the nutritional quality and taste of orange juice. On the other hand, Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (UHPH) is an emergent technology based on the application of high pressures, that allows to process in continuous fluid foods and that has been proposed by its germicidal effect as an alternative to the pasteurization for foods with heat-sensitive properties. Recently, several improvements introduced in the design and materials of UHPH equipments allowed to increase the performances of these equipments in order to bring them closer to the industry requests. We believe the article contains new data and information about the UHPH pectin methylesterase and microbial inactivation effects on orange juice and may be relevant to the scientific and industrial community.

Effects of β‐cyclodextrin addition and farming type on vitamin C, antioxidant activity, carotenoids profile, and sensory analysis in pasteurised orange juices

SummaryThe effects of organic farming, pasteurisation and addition of β‐cyclodextrin on the content of vitamin C, colour, carotenoids and antioxidant capacity of orange juices were studied. After pasteurisation at 98 °C (20 s) and subsequently storage along 145 days at room temperature (20–25 °C), the loss of vitamin C content was around 30%. The effects of the thermal process on carotenoid were clearly observed in lutein (loss of 16% for organic and traditional 8%) and especially β‐cryptoxanthin (loss of 30%). The colour changes were noticeable after the pasteurisation of orange juice and subsequent storage, with significant decreases being observed in lightness and the coordinate a*, while increases were found for coordinates b*, Hue* and chroma. The antioxidant capacity was 0.075 ± 0.01 and 0.053 ± 0.01 mMT mL−1 for organic and conventional, respectively, with losses around 40% being found at the end of the storage period. The addition of β‐cyclodextrin caused no significant effects on the parameters under analysis. These data showed that strong thermal treatments, such as pasteurisation, adversely affect the nutritional and sensory quality of orange juices.

Microbiological quality of fresh-squeezed orange juice and efficacy of fruit surface decontamination methods in microbiological quality.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the microbiological quality of fresh-squeezed orange juice and to reduce the microbial population by using various chemical and physical fruit surface decontamination methods. In the first step of the study, polyethylene-bottled fresh-squeezed orange juice samples purchased in Ankara, Turkey, were examined. The average aerobic plate count (APC) and coliform count (CC) varied within the ranges of 3 to 5 log CFU/ml and 1 to 4 log MPN/ml, respectively. Ten of 60 samples contained various levels of Escherichia coli, while Salmonella spp. and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected in any of the samples. Comparing the efficacy of various fruit surface decontamination methods on microbial population of oranges, the best results were obtained following two applications of submersion in boiling water and 5% H(2)O(2) solution for both the uninoculated and inoculated samples. Orange juice samples obtained from surface-inoculated and decontaminated oranges were also examined. We showed that about 17.4% of the E. coli population was transferred to orange juice after extraction, indicating the separation of microbial contaminants from fruit peel during extraction. Finally, the levels of microbial contamination occurred throughout the extraction process on the inner surfaces of a commercial juice extractor at one of the sale points investigated. Significant (P < 0.05) increases in the APC and CC were determined in surface samples of the extractor after the extraction. Surface decontamination and extraction are critical steps in fresh juice production for preventing microbial contamination. Immersion in boiling water for 0.5 min, without using any chemicals, can be offered as an effective method to reduce microbial population on orange surfaces.

Incidence of microorganisms from fresh orange juice processed by squeezing machines

This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of orange juice obtained from squeezing machines in foodservice establishments. The samples included fresh squeezed orange juice and juice which is maintained in metal jugs until consumption. According to the European Commission Regulation (No. 2073/2005 and No. 1441/2007) and Spanish microbiological criteria (No. 3484/2000), 12% and 43% of the total examined lots exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae, respectively. Possibly, this contamination is caused by incorrect handling of oranges and juices and also by inadequate cleaning and sanitization of squeezing machine and metal jugs. Furthermore, 0.5 and 1% of all the examined lots were positive for the presence of Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus, respectively. However all lots were negative for Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. These results emphasize the need for applying and maintaining good hygienic practices in the restaurants.

Effect of Low-Temperature Plasma on Microorganism Inactivation and Quality of Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

Dielectric barrier discharge is used to generate low temperature plasma (LTP) for the treatment of freshly squeezed orange juice, which was inoculated with and without three kinds of microorganisms, respectively. Four experiments were designed and conducted: 1) When freshly squeezed orange juice samples inoculated with either Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, or Candida albicans were treated with LTP for 12,8, and 25 s, respectively, the numbers of each microorganism decreased more than 5 logs; 2) when orange juices without the aforementioned microor ganism inoculation were treated with LTP for inactivating original microorganisms inside and then stored at 4°C refrigeration, the total plate count and the proliferation rate of original microor ganism were both reduced significantly (counting per each 4-d during storage); 3) when orange juice samples without microor ganism inoculation were treated with LTP, the LTP treatment had insignificant effect on the values of vitamin C, total acid, turbidity,°Brix, and pH of orange juice; 4) when orange juice samples were inoculated with S. aureus, E. coli, or C. albicans, respectively, and their pH values were slightly decreased by adding HC1 (similar to that after LTP treatment), there was no obvious inactivation effects due to the reduction of pH values. It was proposed that microorganism inactivation was mainly due to reactive species and charged particles instead of slight pH reduction, and LTP treatment was able to effectively inactivate microbes and maintain the quality of orange juice.

Comparing equivalent thermal, high pressure and pulsed electric field processes for mild pasteurization of orange juice. Part I: Impact on overall quality attributes

Mild heat pasteurization, high pressure processing (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processing of freshly squeezed orange juice were comparatively evaluated examining their impact on microbial load and quality parameters immediately after processing and during two months of storage. Microbial counts for treated juices were reduced beyond detectable levels immediately after processing and up to 2 months of refrigerated storage. Quality parameters such as pH, dry matter content and brix were not significantly different when comparing juices immediately after treatment and were, for all treatments, constant during storage time. Quality parameters related to pectinmethylesterase (PME) inactivation, like cloud stability and viscosity, were dependent on the specific treatments that were applied. Mild heat pasteurization was found to result in the most stable orange juice. Results for HP are nearly comparable to PEF except on cloud degradation, where a lower degradation rate was found for HP. For PEF, residual enzyme activity was clearly responsible for changes in viscosity and cloud stability during storage. Development of mild processing technologies with a minimal impact on fruit juice can be considered as a true alternative of fresh fruit. The present work presents a fair comparison of mild heat treated, high pressure (HP) and pulsed electric field (PEF) processed orange juice as an alternative for thermal pasteurization. Orange juices were monitored during two months of storage. ► Quality of orange juice after mild processing was evaluated during refrigerated storage for two months ► Mild heat pasteurization, high pressure and pulsed electric field processing were compared ► Microbial stable products were obtained at processing temperatures less than 55 °C ► Spoilage observed is a result of residual enzyme activity ► Minor differences were found in viscosity and cloud stability

Kinetic study of high pressure microbial and enzyme inactivation and selection of pasteurisation conditions for Valencia Orange Juice

SummaryKeeping quality of fresh orange juice is highly dependent on pectinolytic enzyme activity and the growth of spoilage microorganisms. The inactivation kinetics of indigenous pectin methylesterase (PME) and of the two more pressure resistant species of spoilage lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Lactobacillus plantarum and L. brevis in freshly squeezed Valencia orange juice under high hydrostatic pressure (100–500 MPa) combined with moderate temperature (20–40 °C) was investigated. PME inactivation followed first order kinetics with a residual PME activity (15%) at all pressure–temperature combinations used. The values of activation energy and activation volume were estimated at each pressure and at each temperature, respectively. Values of 90 kJ/mol and −30 mL/mol at reference pressure of 300 MPa and reference temperature of 35 °C were estimated respectively. The corresponding zT and zP values of LAB inactivation were also estimated at all conditions tested. Values of 19.5 °C and 95 MPa at reference pressure of 300 MPa and reference temperature of 30 °C were estimated respectively for L. plantarum, while the corresponding values for L. brevis were 40 °C and 82 MPa, respectively, at the same reference conditions. Pressure and temperature were found to act synergistically both for PME and LAB inactivation. The PME and LAB inactivation rate constants were expressed as functions of the temperature and pressure process conditions. These functions allow the determination of the pressure/temperature conditions that achieve the target enzyme and microbial inactivation at a selected processing time. The process conditions of 350 MPa at 35 °C for 2 min are proposed as effective for Valencia orange juice cold pasteurisation.

Effect of sonication on orange juice quality parameters during storage

SummaryFreshly squeezed orange juice was sonicated at various amplitude levels (40%, 70%, 100%), treatment times (2, 6 and 10 min) at a constant frequency of 20 kHz. Samples were stored for periods of up to 30 days at 10 °C. The combined effect of amplitude level, treatment time and storage period on pH, oBrix, titratable acidity, colour values (L*, a*, b*), non‐enzymatic browning (NEB), cloud value and ascorbic acid content were investigated. Second order polynomial models were employed to investigate the effect of independent variables. No significant differences (P &lt; 0.05) in oBrix and titratable acidity were observed. Significant changes were observed in juice pH and colour values. During storage NEB increased while both cloud value and ascorbic acid content decreased. Predictive models developed for colour values, cloud value, NEB and ascorbic acid content were highly significant and were closely correlated to experimental data. Degradation mechanisms are proposed for the key quality parameters.

A Taste Sensor Array Based on Polyaniline Nanofibers for Orange Juice Quality Assessment

In this work nanostructured ultrathin films of polyaniline nanofibers deposited by self-assembly and casting onto interdigital microelectrodes were used as efficient sensoactive layers in taste sensors for quality assessment of commercial and freshly squeezed orange juices. Capacitance measurements were carried out to analyze aqueous solutions of citric acid and eight types of orange juices, including four commercial brands of ready-to-drink juice, two commercial brands of artificially reconstituted juices and freshly squeezed orange juices from sweet lime (Citrus limettioides Tanaka) and ‘Pera’ sweet orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck). Sensor ability in classifying the juices, i.e., separating different types and grouping similar ones, as well as the possibility of monitoring the aging process as a function of the storage conditions were successfully tested. Results showed that the sensor array was able to detect changes in citric acid concentration down to values as low as 2 ppm. It was also observed that the sensitivity of sensors based on self-assembled films was slightly lower than for cast ones. However, the increase in capacitance with increasing analyte concentration was more regular and the time required for sensor response to return to its baseline was faster for self-assembled films as a consequence of the film regularity in architecture. The sensor array could not only discriminate the different orange juices but also detect the degradation process differentiating the influence of storage conditions in this process, therefore showing that this sensor array presents a great potential to be used for quality monitoring of orange juices.

Inactivation kinetics of pectin methylesterase and cloud retention in sonicated orange juice

The effect of sonication on pectin methylesterase (PME) activity and cloud stability of orange juice was studied. Ultrasonic acoustic energy density (AED) levels of 0.42, 0.47, 0.61, 0.79 and 1.05 W/mL and treatment times of 0 (Control), 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 min were investigated. The highest PME inactivation level observed was 62% for sonication at the highest AED level and treatment time. A fraction conversion model adequately described the PME inactivation compared to first order or polynomial models. A significant change in particle size distribution was observed in sonicated samples due to cavitational effects. These results indicate that the cloud stability of sonicated orange juice depends not only on PME inactivation but also on particle size reduction. Power ultrasound is a non thermal pasteurisation method that has been identified to meet the US FDA requirement for a 5 log reduction in E. coli pertinent to fruit juices. Apart from microbial inactivation, cloud stability is a critical orange juice quality parameter influencing product shelf life and consumer acceptance. This work demonstrates that sonication at low AED levels and temperatures can be employed to achieve the desired cloud stability.

Kinetics of Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice Quality Changes during Ozone Processing

Freshly squeezed orange juice samples were ozonated with control variables of gas flow rate (0-0.25 L min (-1)), ozone concentration (0.6-10.0%w/w), and treatment time (0-10 min). Effects of ozone processing variables on orange juice quality parameters of pH, degrees Brix, titratable acidity (TA), cloud value, nonenzymatic browning (NEB), color values ( L*, a*, and b*), and ascorbic acid content were determined. No significant changes in pH, degrees Brix, TA, cloud value, and NEB ( p < 0.05) were found. L*, a*, and b* color values were significantly affected by gas flow rate, ozone concentration, and treatment time. The changes in lightness ( L*) values and total color difference (TCD) values were fitted well to zero-order kinetics, whereas a*, b*, and ascorbic acid degradation followed first-order kinetics. The rate constants for a*, b*, and TCD were linearly correlated with ozone concentration ( R (2) = 0.88-0.99), whereas the rate constants for L* and ascorbic acid were exponentially correlated ( R (2) = 0.94-0.98).

Effect of juice clarification by flotation on the quality of white wine and orange juice and drink - Short Communication

White wines of Debina cultivar were made from musts clarified by flotation using nitrogen as foaming agent. Flotation using air as the foaming agent (must hyperoxidation), without SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; addition, was also applied. Turbidity and suspended solids were lower in must clarified by flotation using nitrogen than in that clarified by sedimentation (control). Flotation with hyperoxidation led to a reduction of must phenolics. All experimental wines exhibited similar gross compositions (alcohol, reducing sugars, total acidity, and volatile acidity). Wines made from musts clarified by flotation using nitrogen had similar total phenolic content, browning capacity, and organoleptic quality as the control wines. Wines made from musts clarified by flotation using air had lower total phenolic contents and browning capacity than were those in control wines. These wines were of well acceptable quality but exhibited a slightly oxidised aftertaste. The results indicate that flotation using nitrogen can be effective in the production of typical Debina wine, while flotation using air may be useful in that of table wine without SO&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; addition. Orange juice was clarified by flotation using nitrogen or air as the foaming agent. Orange juice clarified by flotation using nitrogen as the foaming agent exhibited lower turbidity and a similar pulp content to that clarified by centrifugal separator (control). It had an acceptable taste and aroma. Juice clarified by flotation using air as the foaming agent, along with pectolytic enzyme treatment, exhibited much lower turbidity and pulp content compared to control. The clear juice had an acceptable taste but no aroma. The fermented clear juice was averagely rated, exhibiting a pleasant aroma and only a slightly bitter taste. The results indicate that flotation using nitrogen can be effective in the production of natural orange juice, while flotation using air may be useful in the production of orange drink.

Plant growth regulators on the pre-harvest period of 'Pêra' oranges

This research evaluated the effects of auxins and gibberellins applied at pre-harvest on the quality of orange juice. Orange trees, Citrus sinensis Osbeck, cv. 'Pêra' were sprayed in three applications, at 45-day intervals, with the following treatments: GA3 + 2,4-D at 12.5mg L-1 each; GA3 + 2,4-D at 25mg L-1; GA3 + 2,4-D at 37.5mg L-1; GA3 + NAA at 12.5mg L-1; GA3 + NAA at 25mg L-1; GA3 + NAA at 37.5mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D at 12.5mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D at 25mg L-1; NAA + 2,4-D at 37.5mg L-1, and a control. The treatments did not change juice quality, and showed no plant growth regulator residues 110 days after the last application in every case below 0.05mg L-1.

Effects of agricultural practices on instrumental colour, mineral content, carotenoid composition, and sensory quality of mandarin orange juice, cv. Hernandina

AbstractBACKGROUND: Frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lowered risk of cancer, hypertension and heart disease, due, among other factors such as modulation of gene expression and improvement of gap junctional communication, to the presence of various forms of antioxidants present in the foods as carotenoids. Otherwise, consumers demand organic products which they believe have more flavour and are of greater benefit to the environment and human health. The effects of organic farming on CIE L*a*b* colour, mineral content, carotenoid composition and sensory quality of Hernandina mandarin juices were studied.RESULTS: Organic farming of mandarin oranges resulted in juices with higher contents of minerals and carotenoids, and of better sensory quality. For instance, organic juice contained a total concentration of carotenoids of 14.4 mg L−1 compared to 10.2 mg L−1 of conventional juice.CONCLUSION: Mandarin orange juices can be considered as a good source of some important nutrients, such as potassium and antioxidant chemicals, e.g. β‐cryptoxanthin. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry

Effects of Sonication on the Kinetics of Orange Juice Quality Parameters

The effects of sonication on pH, degrees Brix, titratable acidity (TA), cloud, browning index, and color parameters ( L*, a*, and b*) of freshly squeezed orange juice samples were studied. Ultrasonic intensity (UI) levels of 8.61, 9.24, 10.16, 17.17, and 22.79 W/cm2 and treatment times of 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 min were investigated. No significant changes in pH, degrees Brix, and TA ( p < 0.05) were found. Cloud value, browning index, and color parameters were significantly affected by ultrasonic intensity and treatment time. Changes in cloud value followed first-order kinetics, whereas browning index, L*, a*, and b* values followed zero-order kinetics. Reaction rate constants were linearly correlated ( R2 > 0.90) to ultrasonic intensity.

Quality of orange juice in barrier packaging material

AbstractThe vitamin C content and the colour of orange juice made from concentrate were measured during 9 months of storage at 20°C either under artificial light or in darkness. The packaging materials used were glass, standard monolayer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and multilayer PET (PET/nylon and oxygen scavenger/PET) containers. In this experiment, all bottles were sealed with aluminium foil in order to avoid any cap effect. The results showed that in plastic packaging materials, the loss of vitamin C was related to the oxygen permeability, and that glass provided the best preservation of ascorbic acid. No statistical difference (p &lt; 0.05) was revealed between the vitamin C content in the juice stored under artificial light or in darkness, whatever the packaging used. The modification of colour was studied with the L, a* and b* values during storage at 20°C under artificial light. L and b* decreased, revealing a reduction of lightness and yellow colour of the juice, whereas a* increased, due to the formation of brown pigments. This change in colour was partly related to the oxygen permeability of the packaging used.The losses of aroma compounds by permeation through the bottle (PET) and the cap (high‐density polyethylene, HDPE) have also been investigated. The results showed that permeation mainly took place through the cap. The use of a multilayer cap [HDPE with internal barrier layer of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/EvOH/LDPE] considerably limited the permeation of the aroma compounds studied, whatever the PET bottle used. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Visible and near infrared spectroscopy for rapid detection of citric and tartaric acids in orange juice

The use of visible and near infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) was explored as a tool to detect the citric acid and tartaric acid in orange juice. Calibration models were developed from high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) as a reference method and Vis/NIRS data using partial least squares (PLS) regression with cross-validation. “Fingerprint” was investigated based on PLS loadings and regression coefficients, offering theories for feature recognition and also providing possibilities to develop a simple and rapid device. The correlation coefficients ( r) and root mean squares error of prediction (RMSEP) in the best model for citric acid was 0.944 and 0.596, and 0.930 and 0.013 for tartaric acid. The results indicate that it is very feasible to detect the quality of orange juice using Vis/NIRS technique. Comparing the parameters with those derived from HPLC determination of the extract obtained from the same samples, the results of Vis/NIRS analysis were not better than those of HPLC analysis with low coefficient of variation below 0.18% and high correlation coefficient over 0.9999. Nevertheless, due to the short consuming time, low cost of monitoring and a guaranteed high sample throughout, Vis/NIRS technique has its potential for the rapid, reliable and nondestructive detection of organic acids in orange juice.