Fruit Juices and Soft Drinks

Abstract

Practically all fruits and their juices contain organic acids that can be detected by taste, and correspondingly fruit juice products usually maintain an acidic character. Since it is known that the fundamental chemistry of living tissues involves the formation of complex mixtures of organic acids, it is not surprising that such mixtures should be found in fruit. In most fruit, however, there is a dominant acid, the other components of the mixture occurring in secondary or trace amounts. Table 6.1 gives some indication of the acids found in the commonly used fruits.