What’s Really in Your Orange Juice?
Most people assume orange juice is simple. Oranges, squeezed. Done. IF only that were true for most of the industry.
Here at Uncle Matt’s, we’ve been growing and juicing certified organic oranges in Florida since 1999. In all that time, we’ve never used a flavor packet in our organic OJ. But before we get into why, let’s talk about what a flavor packet actually is, because the orange juice industry has done a pretty good job of keeping that quiet.
The secret ingredient not on the back label
When large scale juice producers make OJ, the juice gets pasteurized and stored in massive tanks, often for up to a year, before reaching a store. This process strips out the oxygen, which sounds okay, until you realize it also strips out most of the natural aroma and flavor that makes orange juice taste like, well… oranges.
So how do they get the flavor back in? They hire flavor companies — some of the same ones that formulate fragrances for perfumes — to engineer what’s called an “essence oil,” or flavor pack. These packs are derived from orange byproducts, which is exactly why the FDA doesn’t require them to be listed separately on the label. Technically, they come from oranges, so they can be folded under the umbrella of “100% orange juice” without a single word of disclosure.
That means your OJ could be flavored with an engineered additive and the label wouldn’t tell you a thing about it.
We don’t use flavor packets
Uncle Matt’s juice is made the way juice was always meant to be made, from real, fresh picked organic oranges that have been grown to strict organic standards. We don’t add flavor packs to compensate for what the process destroyed. What you taste in every bottle is what came out of the fruit. That’s it. And this is why our juice tastes a little different throughout the year; we blend up varieties that are fresh and in-season.
Why organic matters… more than you think
Conventional orange growers rely heavily on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers to keep their trees productive. Those inputs don’t disappear when the fruit is picked; They can make their way into the juice. When you choose organic, you’re choosing juice made from fruit grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers. Healthy soil grows healthier trees. Healthier trees grow better oranges. Better oranges make better juice. It really is that simple.
Beyond what organic keeps out, there’s what it keeps in. Studies suggest organically grown citrus can have higher levels of certain antioxidants and flavonoids, which are the natural compounds that give OJ its health supporting properties. Combine that with the vitamin C, potassium, b vitamins and folate naturally present in orange juice, and you’ve got a glass that’s actually doing something for you.
When you buy Uncle Matt’s, you’re not buying a product that was engineered to taste like orange juice. You’re buying orange juice, grown by farmers who care, made without shortcuts, and bottled without secrets.
That’s a promise we’ve kept for 25+ years. We’re not about to stop now.
