What's in Your Fruit Juice?-Rapid Quality Screening Based on Infrared (FT-IR) Spectroscopy

Featured Application In this study, we introduce an approach for quickly profiling the nutritional content of fruit juices by using a portable Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-IR) device. This method enables real-time prediction and simultaneous analysis of key components, such as sugars and acids in fruit juices, addressing concerns about obesity and other health risks. The portability of the FT-IR sensor makes it a valuable tool for food processors, providing a convenient out-of-the-laboratory solution. This application detects deviations in sugar and ascorbic acid levels compared to nutritional labels, helping consumers to make healthier decisions. Furthermore, applying portable FT-IR devices by the fruit juice industry will streamline quality control processes and represents a shift towards more efficient, non-destructive, and high-throughput analytical methods.Abstract Fruit juices (FJ) have gained widespread global consumption, driven by their perceived health benefits. The accuracy of nutrition information is essential for consumers assessing FJ quality, especially with increasing concerns about added sugars and obesity risk. Conversely, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), found in nature in many fruits and vegetables, is often lost due to its susceptibility to light, air, and heat, and it undergoes fortification during FJ production. Current analytical methods for determining FJ components are time-consuming and labor-intensive, prompting the need for rapid analytical tools. This study employed a field-deployable portable FT-IR device, requiring no sample preparation, to simultaneously predict multiple quality traits in 68 FJ samples from US markets. Using partial least square regression (PLSR) models, a strong correlation (RCV >= 0.93) between FT-IR predictions and reference values was obtained, with a low standard error of prediction. Remarkably, 21% and 37% of FJs deviated from nutrition label values for sugars and ascorbic acid, respectively. Portable FT-IR devices offer non-destructive, simultaneous, simple, and high-throughput approaches for chemical profiling and real-time prediction of sugars and acid levels in FJs. Their handiness and ruggedness can provide food processors with a valuable "out-of-the-laboratory" analytical tool.