FDA Lowers Brix Content for Orange Juice to Enable Manufacturers to Continue Using Florida Oranges
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially updated the Standard of Identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice to enable juice manufacturers to continue to source oranges from Florida citrus growers, whose fruit have been affected by natural causes in recent years, making it difficult to meet the decades-old Brix standard.
FDA first proposed the rule to update the SOI for pasteurized orange juice in 2025, responding to a 2022 citizen petition submitted by the Florida Citrus Processors Association and Florida Citrus Mutual.
The now-final rule reduces the minimum Brix requirement (i.e., a measurement that indicates the sugar content of a liquid) for pasteurized orange juice from 10.5 to 10 and permits up to 15 percent Citrus reticulata (i.e., mandarin/tangerine) juice or hybrid juice by volume.
The Brix level for Florida oranges has been steadily declining over the past few decades due to severe weather and a bacterial disease called “citrus greening,” making it challenging to meet the minimum Brix established in the original SOI, which was established in 1963. To meet the requirements of the old SOI, some manufacturers resorted to importing high-Brix orange juice from abroad.
Looking for quick answers on food safety topics?
Try Ask FSM, our new smart AI search tool.
Ask FSM →
