How long does freshly squeezed orange juice keep?
by Karine Lemoine
You've just squeezed some nice oranges and you're wondering if you can save the juice for the next day. Unlike juice purchased in bottles, fresh juice has not undergone any preservation treatment.
Without pasteurization or preservatives, it evolves much faster than industrial juice, both in taste and in food safety.
Table of Contents
Here's how long it lasts, how to recognize it when it's no longer good, and how to make it last a little longer.
Short shelf life, much more than store-bought juice
Freshly squeezed orange juice can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours in an airtight container.After this time, it quickly loses taste quality and a risk of bacterial development appears, even if it stays cold.
At room temperature, it should not be left for more than 1 to 2 hours: vitamin C degrades quickly in air and light, and the natural sugars in the fruit promote the proliferation of microorganisms as soon as the temperature rises again.
Why does industrial juice keep longer?
Orange juice sold in bottles or cartons has generally been pasteurized (heated briefly to destroy microorganisms), sometimes filtered, and packaged in a sterile, hermetically sealed package. It is this treatment, and not a magic additive, that allows it to be stored for several days, even several weeks once opened, and several months unopened at room temperature for some formats.
Freshly squeezed juice has not benefited from any of these treatments: it keeps all its flavor, but also its fragility.
How do you know it's no longer good?
- Sour or fermented odor, similar to alcohol
- Abnormal acidic taste, almost sparkling
- Significant separation or foamy appearance on the surface
- Color tarnished or darker than usual
If any of these signs appear, it is best not to consume the juice, even if it is only two days old.
Our tips
►Keep it in a tightly closed container
Contact with air accelerates oxidation and the loss of vitamin C. An airtight jar or bottle, filled to the limit to limit the air, helps to preserve the taste for longer.
►Squeeze just before eating if possible
Orange juice loses some of its vitamin C in the first few hours after pressing. To make the most of its nutritional qualities, the best thing is to drink it quickly.
►Consider freezing for large quantities
If you have squeezed more juice than you need, freezing it in small portions (ice tray or small containers) allows it to be stored for several months without using preservatives.
Fresh orange juice is a pleasure to consume quickly: without preservative treatment, it can only be stored for a few dozen hours in the refrigerator.
You can also read:Pasteurized or unpasteurized juice, which one poses a riskandThe benefits of carrot juice.
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