FDA accepts comments on changing orange juice standard of identity   

The Food and Drug Administration is accepting comments on its proposal to change the standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice. The proposal is in response to a petition the Florida Citrus Processors Association Inc. and Florida Citrus Mutual Inc. submitted in 2022. The citrus groups said the original standard promulgated in 1963 was in line with the qualities of the U.S. orange crop at that time and should be updated to align with the properties of the modern U.S. crop.The proposed amendment would specifically seek to reduce the minimum Brix requirement — “a measurement that indicates the sugar content of a liquid,”” according to the FDA — from 10.5 to 10, ABC News reported.

“Without these changes, manufacturers of finished pasteurized orange juice products must increasingly rely on higher Brix imported juice to meet or exceed the U.S. minimum Brix for pasteurized orange juice,” the citrus groups said.

Upon the release of the proposed rule, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said, “For years, we’ve been wasting beautiful American oranges simply due to an outdated regulation, while relying on a high volume of imports. Under President Trump’s ‘America First’ administration, we’re cutting red tape, helping American farmers, and using common sense to reform a broken system. And orange juice will still taste just as good.”

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said, “This is a big win for our citrus growers. Florida’s orange growers have faced years of hardships from hurricanes, greening, and burdensome regulations that no longer reflect the realities of today’s crop.”

The 90-day comment period ends November 4. Industry groups support the proposal but it is somewhat controversial because there are questions about whether the standard will change the taste of orange juice.

–The Hagstrom Report