Huanglongbing (HLB), shifting consumer preferences and rising production costs are reshaping the citrus juice industry. These challenges are making fruit quality and efficient use of available crops increasingly important, a new research review reports.
The researchers identify HLB as a major challenge for juice production. The disease reduces tree health, increases fruit drop and lowers yields. It can also change the balance of sugars and acids in oranges, affecting juice flavor.
Combined with climate-related pressures and higher operating costs, these challenges have contributed to unstable fruit supplies and reduced orange juice production in major growing regions, including the United States and Brazil.
For growers, the findings underscore the importance of maintaining tree health and producing fruit with consistent quality, particularly as processors face tighter supplies of suitable oranges.
The review highlights consumer interest in juice with fresh flavor, appealing color and beneficial plant compounds. Blood oranges, which contain anthocyanins that contribute to their red color, offer opportunities in specialized markets.
The authors also point to growing interest in not-from-concentrate juice, which aims to preserve more of the fruit’s fresh flavor and aroma.
Another important takeaway for growers is the value of fruit that does not meet fresh-market standards. Processing can turn otherwise underused fruit into a marketable product, reducing waste and adding value to the citrus supply chain.
The researchers explain that juice quality depends on careful handling throughout processing, including washing, sorting, sizing, extraction, pasteurization and storage. Fruit size and condition matter because they can affect extraction efficiency, juice yield and bitterness.
The study also emphasizes food-safety controls, including proper washing, pasteurization, filtration and temperature management.
The bottom line for growers is that managing HLB and producing consistent, high-quality fruit remain essential to the industry’s long-term competitiveness. Better use of fruit for processing, along with opportunities in specialty and premium juices, may help the industry capture more value from each crop.
The research review was published in Acta Horticulturae. The authors are G.A. Manganaris and A.M. Taliadorou of the Cyprus University of Technology in Cyprus, M. Chronis of Hellenic Juice Industry C. Dedes ASPIS S.A. in Greece and L. Pena of Universidad Politécnica de Valencia in Spain.
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