What Is Tropicana Orange Juice? (Is It Real, Pasteurized + More)

Tropicana can be seen everywhere, from billboards to the aisles of your local supermarket. It is even sitting in your own refrigerator and pantry.

If you want to discover more about the brand that is an ever-present part of your life, I’ve put together some interesting facts about Tropicana orange juice. Here they are!

What Is Tropicana Orange Juice?

Tropicana orange juice is made from 100% real fruit juice without any preservatives, added sugar, or coloring. Processed through a unique flash pasteurization method, it is the first-ever chilled fresh orange juice in the market. Additionally, Tropicana orange juice is the most popular brand in the USA owning 70% of the not-from-concentrate industry share. 

If you want to know more about the leading orange juice in the market, its shelf life, and other interesting facts, keep on reading!

Is Tropicana Juice Real Orange Juice?

Tropicana orange juice is made from 100% orange juice without any sugar, colorings, or preservatives added. This brand is marketed as pure and natural, coming straight from freshly squeezed orange fruits.

Is Tropicana Juice Pasteurized?

Each and every Tropicana orange juice variant is pasteurized. This is to ensure that no microorganisms or pathogens are present.

Tropicana’s orange juice products are subjected to a process called flash pasteurization which exposes the juice to extreme heat for a shorter amount of time than regular treatment.

This process enables the orange juice to retain its flavors, colors, and sweetness while eliminating harmful organisms.

Where Is Tropicana Orange Juice From?

All oranges used to make Tropicana orange juice are sourced locally, most of them from Florida. Valencia oranges are commonly used, but other orange varieties are sometimes included.

Tropicana established partnerships with family-owned orange groves all over the USA. Their oranges are never from overseas and are all locally produced in America.

Is Tropicana Orange Juice From Concentrate?

Tropicana orange juice is 100% pure liquid from oranges that are always freshly squeezed. It is never sourced from concentrate.

Once the oranges are squeezed, the juice is processed using flash pasteurization and sent straight for packaging. The dehydration process to make concentrate is skipped.

What Is The History Of Tropicana Orange Juice?

Tropicana Orange Juice

Tropicana orange juice was formulated by Anthony Rossi, a Sicilian immigrant who began by selling citrus gift boxes in Florida. His packaged fruits were a success, but only the large portions were consumed.

Rossi decided to squeeze the small left-over oranges and sold the juice along with the cut-up citrus boxes. This idea became such a hit that he moved to Bradenton and sold his very own concentrated orange juice.

In 1954, Rossi developed a flash pasteurization method that subjected his freshly squeezed orange juice to high heat for a short time.

This process extended his juice’s shelf life to three months while retaining its natural flavors, unlike his previous concentrated variety.

Immediately, Rossi deviated from the frozen concentrate market and instead sold chilled fresh orange juice.

He began selling not-from-concentrate orange juice and renamed his company Tropicana Products which became the first chilled fresh orange juice.

How Much Sugar Is In Tropicana Orange Juice?

Tropicana orange juice claims that they only have one ingredient, namely oranges. As such, it contains only 42 grams of naturally occurring, organic sugar.

No flavor packets, chemical sweeteners, or other sugar additives are used. Tropicana’s sugar content comes solely from freshly squeezed orange juice.

Is Tropicana Orange Juice Vegan?

Most Tropicana products are made from 100% real orange juice, which means that they are vegan-friendly. The company does not practice testing on animals either and is free from animal-based products.

However, the Pure Premium Healthy Orange Juice variant contains gelatin and omega 3 fatty acids which come from chicken and fish oil respectively.

Is Tropicana The Most Popular Juice Brand?

Tropicana Premium is the leading refrigerated orange juice brand in the market with sales worth 1.07 billion US dollars. This accounts for about 70% of the not-from-concentrate, refrigerated orange juice market.

Tropicana Products, Inc. which formulated the juice also owns 33%t of the shares of the overall US orange juice industry.

How Long Before Tropicana Orange Juice Goes Bad?

Tropicana orange juice is pasteurized fruit juice sold in the refrigerated section of the supermarket. Because it is not concentrated, it has a definite shelf life of five to seven days if stored in the fridge once unsealed.

On the other hand, Tropicana orange juice will keep for about one to two weeks beyond the best-by date if unopened and kept refrigerated.

If you want to preserve it even longer, you can store it in the freezer at 0 degrees. This will extend its shelf life to approximately eight to twelve months.

Who Owns Tropicana Orange Juice Brand?

Tropicana Products, Inc., is owned by PepsiCo. This includes all Tropicana’s juice varieties. The company was sold by Anthony Rossi in 1998 worth $500 million.

If you want to learn more about orange juice, you can see our related posts on Minute Maid orange juice, Simply Orange, and Sunny D orange juice.

Conclusion

Tropicana orange juice is 100% real orange juice with no preservatives, added sugar, or colorings. It was the first not-from-concentrate orange juice to be sold chilled.

This juice brand was established by Anthony Rossi in 1954 through a flash pasteurization method he himself devised. Through this process, Rossi made it possible for orange juice to retain its natural flavors while extending its shelf life.

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