What Is the Chemical Composition of Orange Juice?
There is not a chemical composition for orange juice. Orange juice is called a mixture, which is a combination of at least two different substances. Because each of these substances retain their own chemical identity when they are mixed together, no universal chemical formula for orange juice is possible.
Depending on the type of orange juice, it may be a mixture of many different things such as water (H20), glucose (C6H12O6), citric acid (C6H8O7) and trace amounts of minerals. In general, orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, thiamine, folic acid and potassium. Orange juice has no cholesterol, 1 milligram of sodium and no saturated fats but the amount of sugars it contains can make it high in calories. Freshly squeezed orange juice has a shelf life of around two weeks.
Commercially, orange juice is either made from frozen concentrated orange juice or by a process called aseptic storage where the oxygen is removed from the juice. Manufacturers then have to add what is called “flavor packs” to the juice in the final step of production to improve flavoring.
