Summer is here and, predictably, packaged fruit juices are flying off the shelves. Many of them promise the earth — “Great immunity booster”, “One glass of juice equals one glass of milk”, “No preservatives”, “No added flavour” and so on. But before you take a sip of that refreshing fruit drink, it would be worthwhile to examine if all the claims made by the manufacturers are true. And, most importantly, whether packed fruit “juices” are really as nutritious as freshly squeezed juices.

First of all, it is important to understand that not all fruit drinks are pure juices. As a thumb rule, beverages with more than 80 per cent fruit pulp can be regarded as juices. Govind Khemka, a Calcutta-based marketing brand analyst, points out, “Even a blend of fruit juice with ingredients like fructose, corn syrup, honey, sugar, or in a diluted form with added water, becomes a fruit cocktail or nectar and cannot be treated as 100 per cent juice.” Unfortunately, clever marketing techniques confuse consumers, adds Khemka. “If fruit beverages with less than 40 per cent fruit pulp are kept along with pure juices on supermarket shelves, consumers are duped into believing that they are all the same.”

So how do you differentiate between pure packed juices and those that are not? Companies that manufacture 100 per cent juice brands claim to state these differences on their labels. Says Homi Battiwala, director, juices and juice drinks, Pepsico, “We have products like Tropicana, which is a 100 per cent fruit juice. We also have Slice, a popular mango drink, but it is not a 100 per cent juice. Hence, the label on Slice describes it as a ‘ready to serve fruit beverage with real mango pulp,’ We do not mislead consumers.”

Khemka says that mango is, in fact, one fruit which cannot be packed in a pure juice form “owing to its heavy, viscous consistency” and that it has to be diluted. K.K. Chutani, marketing head — foods, Dabur India Ltd, readily agrees with that assertion. “It’s true,” he admits, “A 100 per cent mango juice will become too heavy; hence the pulp needs to be diluted. So, unlike other Real juices which have the 100 per cent juice tag, Real Mango is sold under the fruit nectar category.”

Consumer activists point out that very often people simply do not know the difference between juices, fruit nectars, squashes, fruit concentrates and fruit drinks. “There is a general perception that other than soft drinks, all packaged juice-like drinks are 100 per cent fruit juices. This is because of the lack of adequate information on the labels and marketing gimmicks,” says Bejon Misra, a consumer expert. Misra believes labels must carry details of the exact fruit pulp content so that consumers can tell the difference between 100 per cent fruit juices and juice-like beverages.

But what of claims such as “no added preservatives” and “no added colour” on the labels of packed fruit juices? Some experts believe that fruit juices without preservatives is a bit of a tall claim as such products will begin to spoil once the seal of the pack is broken. As microbiologist Dr Shyamal Chatterjee points out, “Preservative-free juices must be consumed immediately. Otherwise, exposure to the atmosphere will lead to microbial degradation of the juice even if it is kept under refrigeration.”

The manufacturers, though, assert that the packing technology they use is such that their preservative-free juices remain fresh for up to five days after opening the seal. Both Dabur and Pepsico, the major players in the 100 per cent juice market, ensure that their juices retain freshness by packing them in a six-layered Tetra Pak. Dabur uses what it calls an “aseptic technology,” where the juice is made aseptic or sterile by using a flash heating process to retain its nutrient content. “The aseptic packages are a mixture of paper polythene and aluminium, with a tight polythene layer inside to make it air tight, to ensure that no light, moisture, air or microbes can get in,” says Chutani.

JUICY FACTS Pure fruit juices have more than 80% fruit pulp Fruit nectars have a combined fruit pulp and juice content of about 40% Fruit drinks have a fruit pulp content of less than 40% . Consumption of packed juice should be limited to four to six ounce daily for infants older than six months. Older children and adolescents should drink no more than 6-12 ounce of juice a day

Dr Chatterjee is, however, sceptical about the aluminium foils and polythene sheets that go into tetra packaging, as these materials themselves could be hazardous to health.

The other aspect of packed fruit juices that consumers need to be aware of is whether they can be a substitute for the goodness of freshly squeezed juices. In fact, some parents despair that children prefer the packed variety to fresh juices because of the attractive and colourful packaging. “Juices and juice-like beverages in colourful packs with straws attract kids. Besides, they are easy to consume even in school or while travelling,” says Subhrangshu Dey, a father of two. “Their flavours are also better compared to natural, fresh juices because they often have added sugar,” says Dey.

Of course, not all packaged fruit juices have sugar added. Some, like Real Fruit Power, that targets children, do, but they also have added nutrients like vitamins A, C and E. “Our products meet the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) of children in the 7-12 years range,” claims Chutani of Dabur.

However, ask paediatricians and they will tell you that children should be encouraged to drink freshly squeezed juices rather than packaged ones. “The intake of sweetened fruit juices leads to weight gain and obesity. It can even affect the absorption of carbohydrates, leading to persistent, non specific diarrhoea, specially in young children,” warns Dr Santanu Ray, a Calcutta-based paediatrician. “Excessive intake of sweetened juices can also have a negative impact on a child’s appetite, resulting in decreased consumption of food and poor growth,” adds Ray.

There is, of course, no substitute for eating fruits or drinking the juice of fresh fruits. But if you do have to take a swig of packaged fruit juices, don’t forget to check the label to find out exactly what you are drinking — pure juice or a fruit beverage.