Fresh orange juice is considered to be one of the best sources of vitamin C. Nevertheless, hand squeezed juice is often inconvenient for consumers who seek practical and fast ways to prepare their meals. The objective of this study was to analyze the chemical and physicochemical stability of ready to drink and refreshments prepared from orange juice powder commercially available in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The ascorbic acid (AA) content, total soluble solids (TSS), total tritatable acidity (TAA) and pH were determined. The AA content of ready to drink orange juice ranged from 17.25mg% to 62.40mg (p = 0.05). In two batches the AA content was lower than that established by the Brazilian legislation. The AA content of refreshments prepared from orange juice powder ranged from 0.67mg% to 32.00mg% among samples (p = 0.05). TSS and pH values were stable, while TTA changed during the storage time. Industrialized ready to drink orange juices may be considered a source of vitamin C, whereas most of the cheaper refreshments prepared from powder orange juice are not.
orange; industrialized juices; refreshments; ascorbic acid; stability
