Apple juice

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Clear and cloudy apple juice in the glass

Apple juice (in Switzerland and Austria also sweet cider , in eastern Austria also obi ) is a fruit juice that is obtained by pressing apples . To obtain 1 liter of apple juice, you need about 1.3 kg of apples. This happens on a large scale in wine presses . As an apple spritzer it is drunk diluted with mineral water. In 2019, the per capita consumption of apple juice in Germany was 6.8 liters and apple juice spritzer 4.5 liters.

Naturally cloudy and clear apple juice

After pressing, the apple juice is always naturally cloudy, ie it contains pulp. The clear apple juice is obtained when centrifuged and filtered . In the past, some manufacturers used gelatine to clarify apple juice , which does not need to be declared because it is completely removed before bottling. In 2015, the fruit juice and soft drinks ordinance in Germany was changed so that vegetable proteins are also permitted for clarification. This means that clear apple juice can also be drunk by consumers who refuse to use gelatine because of its animal origin. The variants - naturally cloudy, cloudy and clear - are made durable for example by pasteurization . In industrial production, the juice is briefly heated to approx. 78 ° C in order to kill microorganisms and thus prevent fermentation . If you make your own, pasteurization at a slightly higher temperature and longer exposure time (about a few minutes at approx. 84 ° C) is recommended due to the less favorable hygienic conditions. Since the naturally cloudy apple juice is not filtered, there are suspended particles in it. Since they are heavier than water, they can settle to the bottom over time and should be shaken up before drinking. Due to the antioxidants contained in the suspended solids - these are mainly polyphenols - naturally cloudy apple juice contains more secondary plant substances than filtered juice.

In animal experiments , mice and rats that were administered apple juice developed up to 50% fewer tumors than the comparison group without the apple juice administration. The cloudy apple juice was more effective than the clear one in these experiments. Probably the cause here are the procyanidins , which are contained in high concentrations in cloudy apple juice.

Furthermore, the naturally cloudy apple juice often tastes stronger than the clear one. Single-variety juices that are only obtained from one apple variety expand the range with a high variety of flavors.

Apple juice from concentrate

Apple juice concentrate is mainly used to produce clear apple juice . Apple juice concentrate is obtained by removing water and removing aromas . This reduces the volume to about a sixth, so that storage and transport are cheaper. By adding specially prepared drinking water and the separately stored aromas, a product that is similar to the original starting product is achieved (reconstituting). The processing of apple juice concentrate also makes it possible to achieve a consistent taste by mixing apple juice concentrates with different tastes (sweet / sour). Otherwise, different flavors would appear in a product depending on the apple variety or cultivation area. As an alternative, the trade offers not-from-concentrate juice , which usually has a stronger flavor.

The methods of the removal of water and the reconstituting affect the taste and the vitamin content slightly. In the German fruit juice and soft drinks Regulation (FrSaftErfrischGetrV) and in the fruit juice EU directives must the reconstituted juice similar organoleptic and analytical characteristics as a Not From Concentrate produced juice ( juice ) from fresh fruits of the same kind. The analytical similarity of the non-volatile main ingredients can can be assessed via the degree of Brix , sugar spectrum, amino acid spectrum and minerals. Indicators for assessment are described in the AIJN Code of Practice. To assess the analytical similarity of the apple juice aroma, an apple aroma index is determined.

Apple juice as a preliminary product

delivery

Apple juice has an energy content of approx. 46 kcal per 100 grams and is also used as a preliminary product for apple nectar, apple wine ( cider , viez , must ), apple cabbage and apple cider vinegar ; In addition, it is also used to make spirits such as fruit brandy , apple grain or calvados .

The freshly squeezed, cloudy apple juice has a brown color due to the pulp particles floating in it and its rapid oxidation, which is mostly similar to RAL color 8023 (orange-brown) and tends to foam in the press and when decanting. It is also known regionally as sweet, cider, sweet cider or apple cider and is enjoyed untreated at harvest time .

Filling line for apple juice
Apple juice is bottled in a modern small press room

Apple juice production and circular economy

Belt presses, decanters and separators are used in apple juice production to ensure excellent juice quality.

  • Belt press systems with pulp extraction to increase the yield
  • Decanter for separating solids from mash or juice
  • Separators for clarifying beverages and extracted juices

A particularly high yield is achieved through efficient processing. In Germany, 100 percent of the apple is processed in the production of fruit juice. The juice yield is around 75 percent, and 25 percent is left over as pressed mash with skins and seeds - this is what is known as the marc . About half of it goes into the production of apple pectin , which z. B. can be used as a herbal gelling agent. The other half goes into animal feeding or energy production.

Orchards are a traditional form of apple cultivation.

Individual evidence

  1. Processing: apples after harvest. Federal Center for Nutrition, accessed on November 12, 2018 .
  2. apple. Association of the German Fruit Juice Industry, accessed on November 12, 2018 .
  3. Numbers and facts about apple juice. South Tyrolean specialties, accessed on November 12, 2018 .
  4. https://www.fruchtsaft.de/branche/daten-und-ffekten/ www.fruchtsaft.de
  5. Jan Oszmianski et al .: In: Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture , doi : 10.1002 / jsfa.2707 .
  6. C. Gerhauser: Cancer chemopreventive potential of apples apple, juice, and apple components. In: Planta Med 74, 2008, pp. 1608-1624. PMID 18855307 (Review)
  7. ^ TC Koch et al.: Prevention of colon carcinogenesis by apple juice in vivo: impact of juice constituents and obesity. In: Mol Nutr Food Res 53, 2009, pp. 1289-1302. PMID 19753605 (Review)
  8. C. Fähndrich: Effect of apple juice on colon carcinogenesis and its modulation by growth factors in animal experiments. Dissertation, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, 2005
  9. M. Fix: "An Apple A Day" - why apples never get cancer. (PDF; 3.6 MB) In: Insight 1, 2009, pp. 22–23.
  10. AIJN Code of Practice ( Memento from July 18, 2014 in the Internet Archive )

Web links

Commons : Apple Juice  - Collection of images, videos, and audio files
Wiktionary: Apple juice  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations