Fruit Concentrate Vs. Extract

Among consumers, there is some confusion as to the difference between fruit concentrate and fruit extract. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has implemented strict labelling guidelines to determine the classification of these products to ensure proper labelling. Fruit concentrate and fruit extract are two of the more easily distinguishable fruit byproducts.

Fruit concentrate is made by removing water from the fruit juice during processing and re-adding water during reconstituting. Water is typically removed from fruit juice to reduce the juice weight and volume, making it easier to transport.

Fruit concentrate is just as nutritious as fresh-squeezed juice as long as the beverage is labelled 100-percent juice. In the case of 100-percent juice, the same amount of water is removed during processing as is added during reconstituting, and the nutritional profile of the juice has not changed.

Fruit extract is a concentrated fruit-flavour profile made by reducing a fruit concentrate until it is syrup and combining with alcohol. Fruit extracts produce a very intense fruit flavour.

The nutritional value of fruit extracts is less than the original fruit juice due to the extraction process and combination with a solvent other than water.

Fruit concentrate is most commonly used in fruit juices, cocktails and beverages because it is easily reconstituted with water. Fruit extract is most commonly used in cooking and baking due to its intense flavour.