Identity Standards Research Articles

Modernizing standards of identity for juice: Evidence from consumer acceptance of orange juice blend

AbstractThe Standards of Identity (SOI) for food may prevent the adoption of the strategies that help sustain the development of some food industries. This study provides comprehensive insights into the possibility of regulation changes with SOI for orange juice from consumer perspectives. Results show that the juice blends with 50% orange juice and 50% tangerine juice received the highest sensory scores. However, most consumers do not think juice blends with less than 70% orange juice can be called orange juice. The WTP for juice blends with less than 70% orange juice also decreases significantly. The results provide strong support for modifying the current SOI for orange juice. In addition, the ratio of 70% orange juice and 30% non‐orange juice (tangerine/mandarin) is an appropriate threshold for starting the change to the SOI for orange juice. Successful modification to food SOI should consider its impact on both food quality and consumer perceptions.

What Is Authentic Maple Water? A Twelve-Month Shelf-Life Study of the Chemical Composition of Maple Water and Its Biological Activities.

Maple water (maple sap) products are produced from sap tapped directly from maple trees, but there is confusion and lack of industry consensus and consumer knowledge as to what constitutes 'authentic' maple water. With an immense potential for growth in the multi-billion dollar functional beverage market, the market promotion of maple water products hinges on establishing standards of identity (SI), which are currently lacking. Herein, we aim to provide publishable SI and compositional chemistry findings of maple water. The chemical composition (including polyphenols, sugars, amino acids, and organic acids) of a pasteurized maple water was monitored over a 12-month (at 0, 4, 8, and 12 months) shelf-life. Furthermore, LC-MS/MS and molecular networking-based methods were developed to identify the phytochemical profile of a maple water extract (MWX) and to compare it to a previously chemically characterized phenolic-enriched maple syrup extract (MSX). Both MSX and MWX have similar phytochemical profiles and chemical characteristics. In addition, MSX and MWX showed moderate antioxidant capacity (in free radical scavenging and anti-tyrosinase assays) and anti-inflammatory effects (in soluble epoxide hydrolase and cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition assays). Our findings provide critical information on the SI and stability (in chemical composition) of maple water, which will help define, authenticate, and distinguish it from other functional beverages, thereby positioning the maple industry for promotion and growth in this market sector.

Considerations Necessary to Provide for Sterilized Milk and Milk Products in Hermetically Sealed, Nonrefrigerated Containers

Whenever a new product or process is introduced it meets a set of circumstances with which to cope. In the past year or so the US Food and Drug Administrat ion (FDA) has received many inquiries concerning milk products that in Europe are referred to as UHT and that, for the purpose of this presentation, I shall refer to as sterilized milk and milk products in hermetically sealed nonrefrigerated containers. The questions we received were related to import requirements, composit ion requirements, nomenclature, heat t reatment necessary to protect health, and laws and regulations that allow or restrict distribution of such products in interstate commerce. The FDA's position is not to impede production and utilization of new products and processes, however, it is responsible for protecting the health of the consumer and for assuring that the products will promote honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers. The FDA was challenged, however, by the view that current laws and regulations restrict the marketing of sterilized milk and milk products in hermetically sealed containers in the US. These products are not restr ic ted in the true sense. It would be more correct to say that these products have become of interest only recently and, therfore, have not been previously provided for or given any specific consideration in this country. First of all, whether milk, lowfat milk, skim milk, half-and-half and cream, as defined by standards of identi ty in 21 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) 131, are pasteurized, ultrapasteurized, or even sterilized, they are still the food so defined. The definitions for these foods include minimum times and temperatures of heat t reatment to effect pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization of these foods. Such foods