Shelf life of freshly squeezed juice is from 1 hour to 3 days

Compared to packaged juices, freshly squeezed juices contain a higher concentration of unique elements, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh juices are healthy and popular all over the world. The first written mentions of fruit and berry squeezes belong to the ancient Greeks, who used them not only as a refreshing drink, but also as a cure for certain diseases. For those who do not always have the opportunity to quickly prepare fresh juice, information about how long freshly squeezed juice can be stored will be relevant.

Let's find out!

At room temperature

Experts recommend consuming fresh juice immediately after preparation.

At room temperature, it retains its nutritional value for 1-2 hours.

After this time, the liquid begins to oxidize and ferment (depending on the source material), and the processes of reproduction of pathogenic flora are accelerated. If it is not possible to place the product in the refrigerator, use the following recommendations:

Pour into a bottle or jar and close the lid tightly. Vacuum containers work well.
Place the drink in a dark, cool place. If you cannot hide the liquid from exposure to sunlight, choose an opaque glass container or wrap it in foil/parchment.
To extend shelf life, immerse the bottle in a container of ice water, keeping the liquid temperature low for as long as necessary (no more than 12-24 hours).

Carrot

Freshly squeezed juice from this vegetable is recommended even for nursing women. Its benefits have been proven over the years. The drink is prepared together with the pulp, while the peel is pre-cleaned. A blender is great for grinding carrots into small pieces.

Carrot juice tastes sweet and does not cause stomach discomfort like orange juice. After the blender, a porridge-like mixture is obtained, which is filtered through cheesecloth or diluted. It is recommended to use the product within 20 minutes after spinning.

Carrots contain a lot of vitamins, especially carotene - provitamin A. It is good for the immune system. Serves as a strengthening agent for colds and helps fight skin diseases. Used in therapy to remove stones from the kidneys and liver.

For nursing mothers, carrot juice will be useful for improving the quality of milk. It is also recommended for pregnant women, but in small doses. However, many may feel nausea and stomach pain. If such symptoms occur, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor and not drink any freshly squeezed drinks.

In a refrigerator

The duration of the period during which the product remains fit for consumption when placed in a refrigerated cabinet is influenced by the raw materials used for preparation. Sweet (berry, fruit) fresh juices are subject to fermentation, so their shelf life is shorter. Pomace with a high content of fruit acids will last longer, since the acids will act as a natural preservative. The choice of container in which you plan to store the liquid is also important.

On average, freshly squeezed juice will last from 12 to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

General rules of use

As you know, any fruit contains quite a lot of sugars. Unlike those found in store-bought juices, natural ones break down faster and do not cause significant harm to the body of an adult or child. But in any case, you should not increase the amount of sugar in your daily diet, because this negatively affects the functioning of the liver, kidneys, stomach and immune system.

It is recommended to dilute strongly sweet juices in a one-to-one ratio with boiled water or mineral water (no matter with or without gas). Sour fruits, such as orange or lemon, do not contain much sugar, so they can be drunk undiluted. But acid has a negative effect on teeth, especially if a person’s enamel coating is destroyed, then it is better to drink juice from sour fruits through a straw.

Nutritionists recommend drinking juice from fresh fruits or vegetables during the day. Not everything can be consumed in the morning on an empty stomach. For example, it is recommended to abstain from sour nectars. Even if they are diluted with water, they can provoke excessive acidity of the gastrointestinal tract. You should not drink freshly squeezed juices at night either - they stimulate the appetite, and there is a risk of eating too much at night, thereby clearly not doing your figure a favor.

The best time to drink freshly squeezed juices is the day between meals. They are consumed between breakfast and lunch, between lunch and dinner, for one of two lunches or snacks.

It is better to drink juice not during meals, but a little later. The body will thank you if you drink a tasty drink 25-30 minutes after lunch.

In the freezer

The freezer will help increase the shelf life of fresh juice up to six months.

Sub-zero temperatures allow you to preserve all useful elements without destroying most of the vitamins and enzymes. To freeze, you must use the freshest possible product, prepared no more than 15 minutes ago. The liquid should be poured into plastic bottles or sealed bags. Use the container volume that is most convenient for you (if you are the only person in the family who loves fruit or vegetable squeezes, opt for containers of 200 - 250 ml). Do not fill the bottle with fresh juice to the brim: leave some free space for the liquid to expand when frozen. Before drinking, move the frozen drink to the refrigerator shelf and allow it to thaw smoothly. There is no need to subject it to sudden defrosting using a microwave oven or boiling water.

Benefit

Freshly squeezed juices are beneficial for several reasons. It is a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and microelements that affect the condition of the entire body: strengthen digestion and blood vessels, normalize sleep and improve physical and emotional well-being.

Fresh fruits

Fresh fruit juices are useful for problems with the liver, kidneys, during the recovery period after serious illnesses: pneumonia, sore throat, infections, etc. Fruit juices are suitable for those losing weight, as some fruits - apple, pineapple - break down fats, thereby helping to lose weight.

Fresh vegetable juices

Vegetables are good for vision, hair, heart and kidneys. Fresh vegetable juices improve digestion, restore strength after severe stress, strengthen the immune system and cleanse the body of harmful toxins.

By type

Shelf life in the refrigerator directly depends on the raw materials used. According to the duration of storage, they can be divided into the following types:

With a minimum period (up to 30 minutes) – carrot, apricot, cucumber, watermelon, cabbage.
Up to 2 hours – tomato, peach, cherry, grape, apple.
24 hours – grapefruit, plum, pumpkin, kiwi, tangerines, pomelo, potatoes, celery.
48 hours – orange, beetroot, pomegranate, lime.
Up to 3 days – lemon, birch, pineapple, aloe (used for instillation into the nose).
For several months you can drink sea buckthorn juice (with added sugar) and ginger extract. From celandine (for medicinal and household purposes) - stored for up to a year.

Variety of freshly squeezed juices

Freshly squeezed juices have a rich and refined taste. They serve as a source of fiber, minerals, slow carbohydrates, healthy fats and proteins. Therefore, adults are recommended to take 250 milliliters every day. When making freshly squeezed juices every day, it is worth remembering that each drink has its own expiration date.

How long can you store homemade apple juice? Fresh apple juice loses its benefits within 18 hours due to rapid oxidation. Vitamins in the product are quickly destroyed. To preserve the drink during the day, you need to mix it with lemon. This is the basic rule on how to preserve freshly squeezed apple juice.

Lemon juice, even taking into account its natural preservative properties, can be stored for 3 days. In a warm place it deteriorates within 5 hours. Orange squeeze in combination with carrot squeeze is allowed for consumption within 2 days. Due to its carotene content, it is recommended to consume fresh carrots immediately, regardless of how you store the carrot juice.

After interacting with air, it loses 90% of its nutrients and deteriorates. Cranberry juice and tomato juice are rich in iron and folic acid. They are stored for the longest possible time - up to 2 days.

How to determine delay

Freshly squeezed direct cold-pressed juice, as a rule, is produced in front of the future consumer from ripe fruits, berries or vegetables using a juicer. Therefore, there is no particular need to know the signs of a spoiled drink. But if you did not drink the fresh juice right away, but placed it in the freezer or refrigerator for a while, then make sure of its quality before consuming it. To do this, it is necessary to evaluate the organoleptic properties:

Smell. The presence of a sharp sour odor with wine-like notes of fermentation indicates spoilage.
Color. As the bacterial flora grows, the color darkens, the liquid becomes cloudy, and a sediment may appear.
Appearance. The formation of bubbles, foam, hissing when opening a bottle, and swelling of the container indicate that chemical reactions have begun.
Taste. An unpleasant sour taste is characteristic of irreversible microbiological fermentation.

Orange fruits

The benefit of freshly squeezed orange juice is that it is rich in vitamin C. It is refreshing, tastes sweet without adding sugar, and quenches your thirst. In addition, it contains other vitamins: A, B, E, K. It contains magnesium, potassium, pectins, iron, phosphorus.

The benefit of freshly squeezed orange juice is its low calorie content. It is enough to take a glass of it in the morning and evening and excess weight will begin to gradually decrease. All nutritionists recommend taking it after exercise.

Fresh orange juice strengthens the body. The immune system is supplied with ascorbic acid, carotene and tocopherol. The antioxidant property helps get rid of bad cholesterol, cancer cells, and toxins.

Orange juice saves you from illness during epidemics. And the iron in its composition helps get rid of signs of anemia. Vitamin C gives the skin elasticity and a fresh look. Those who regularly consume fresh juices and fruits instead of sweets look much younger.

Recommendations and lifehacks

To maintain nutritional value for as long as possible, use the following recommendations:

When storing fresh juice in a freezer, re-freezing is not allowed. After defrosting, the drink can be stored for no more than 12 hours in total.
For cooking, use only high-quality, proven ripe fruits, berries and vegetables. Rinse them thoroughly, sorting and removing moldy or fermented raw materials.
If there is a small amount left, try using it in cooking (for example, freezing fruit cubes to add to smoothies).
The shelf life is also affected by the material from which the packaging is made. The most suitable is a vacuum container, where oxidation processes are slowed down by pumping out air. Various microorganisms easily penetrate into ordinary plastic containers, accelerating decomposition processes.
It is still better to roll large volumes of fresh juice into sterile glass jars.
Adding a few drops of lemon juice to the contents of the container extends the life of some types of drink.
It is not recommended to give concentrated fresh juices to children under 3 years old - it is better to offer your child juices for baby food in tetra-packs: “Babushkino Lukoshko”, “Frutonyanya”, “Agusha” or homemade compotes.
If you find signs of spoilage, discard the product or use it at home (for example, adding it to face or hair masks; lemon juice can remove some stains). Remember that drinking a fermented or sour drink can lead to poisoning or intoxication of the body.

Rating of the best pomegranate juicers

People have always tried to simplify the process of obtaining juice from pomegranate fruits, using various juicers. Now housewives can choose which device is suitable for the needs of her family.

The top best juicers include electric devices with a power of 20-100 W. They allow you to quickly obtain large volumes of pomegranate nectar. In second place are mechanical juicers.

They are of the auger type, reminiscent of a manual meat grinder. The peculiarity of such devices is their ability to grind even grains, giving the drink a special aftertaste.

When buying a screw juicer for making pomegranate juice, you should pay attention to the fourth generation Hurom H-100-SBEA01 model. In this device, the squeezing basket is replaced by a filter element consisting of two grates, which operates silently and does not become clogged with pits.

Juicer Hurom H-100-SBEA01 from the world brand No. 1

Philips produces a juicer model HR1889/70, which looks like a manual meat grinder. The advantages of such a device include a large neck, a container for collecting pulp, rubber footrests and a “Drop-Stop” function.

Horizontal juicer Philips HR1889/70

A lever-type device in which juice is squeezed through a grid plate. The resulting drink flows into a special tank below. To get a glass of fresh pomegranate juice, it will be enough to make a couple of movements with the lever.

Among such devices, the Czech-made citrus juicer Sana Citrus Press is worthy of attention. All its parts are made of food grade stainless steel. Thanks to the spatial platform made of cast iron, the press does not need to be additionally fixed to the countertop.

The Sana Citrus Press juicer is made in vintage style

Important! Since pomegranate juice contains acid that can react with metals, you need to choose stainless steel devices.

Research by scientists

If finances allow, it is better to purchase juice in glass. It has a number of advantages:

You can see the contents of the package (there are cases when the juice in a tetra pack becomes moldy, and the buyer, without knowing it, can give the drink to a child).
Worldwide research by scientists has proven that glass packaging is the safest for human health and the environment.
This packaging can be filled with directly pressed juice, which is healthier.
The method of preserving juice in glass has been used since ancient times.

Scientists are quite critical about tetra-pack packaging. The internal part of such containers is represented by an alloy of various metals, which, when interacting with juices, can oxidize and release hazardous substances. Many doctors also note a connection with an increase in acetone in children and the juice they drank from a Tetra Pak the day before.

Juice in a plastic container

Another type of bottling of juice in production recently is bottling the drink into plastic bottles. An ignorant person, an ordinary consumer, treats plastic with caution. However, it is necessary to delve deeper into this issue so as not to worry about health safety after drinking a drink from a plastic container.

In accordance with international control in the field of baby food, for example, it is prohibited to pour and store juice for babies under one year old in a polycarbonate container in the refrigerator. You must use polypropylene utensils.

Everything is stored the same

It is a common belief that you can store food longer by lowering the refrigerator temperature. Not everyone pays attention to the manufacturer’s instructions on how long it is allowed to keep the juice open. Before drinking a drink, people rely on its taste: whether it is sour or not, fermented or moldy.

However, most manufacturers indicate on the box that opened juice can be stored in the refrigerator for only a day. There is also an opinion among consumers that if you pour a drink from a plastic bottle or tetra pack into a glass container, the contents will be stored longer. This common misconception is dispelled by chemists and biologists.

Storing an opened drink does not depend on the type of packaging or temperature in the refrigerator. The period indicated on the packaging by the manufacturer is how long the product should be stored, according to scientists. You should not drink from the neck of the bottle, so that a large number of microorganisms, along with saliva, do not get inside the drink and lead to a rapid souring of the product.