Orange Juice

part of: Orange

Commercial orange juice is one of the most consumed beverages in Australia, available in several forms: freshly squeezed and chilled (sold in the refrigerated section with a short shelf life), reconstituted from concentrate (where water is added back to previously concentrated juice), and long-life or UHT-treated (shelf-stable in cartons or bottles).

Flavour and quality vary significantly across these formats. Freshly squeezed juice has the brightest, most complex flavour but deteriorates quickly. Reconstituted juice is more consistent and affordable. Some premium brands use a “not from concentrate” process where juice is flash-pasteurised and stored chilled, aiming to split the difference.

In cooking, orange juice is used in marinades, glazes, salad dressings, and desserts. It’s also a common base for smoothies and cocktails, and a breakfast staple in many Australian households.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Oranges are washed, halved, and mechanically squeezed using industrial extractors that separate juice from peel, pith, and seeds. The juice may be pasteurised immediately and chilled for fresh sale, or it may be concentrated by evaporating water under vacuum (to preserve flavour), then frozen and shipped to a bottling facility where water is reintroduced. Long-life juice undergoes ultra-high-temperature treatment before aseptic packaging.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 32kcal
Protein 0.8g
Carbs 6.8g
Fat 0g
Fibre 0.3g Sugar 6.8g
Mass Distribution

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈0.97kg
Freshwater ≈166.17L
Land ≈1.57m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

Made from
Orange, fruit

In the kitchen

Used as

sweet citrus base

Classic dishes
  • Duck à l'orange
  • Orange glaze
  • Mimosa

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

FSANZ

How it was calculated

Analysed

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

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