Why 63-Year-Old Orange Juice Regulation Is Getting a Major Update

Late last week, the U.S. FDA issued a final rule to amend the outdated Standard of Identity (SOI) for pasteurized orange juice. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this announcement delivers a decisive victory for American farmers and safeguards domestic supply chains.

Established in 1963, the original SOI for pasteurized orange juice mandated a minimum Brix level (a measure of dissolved sugar content) of 10.5°. In recent decades, natural causes have put unprecedented pressure on Florida’s historic orange groves, causing natural Brix levels to decline in Florida oranges. These causes include, but are not limited to citrus greening disease (aka, HLB) and multiple extreme weather events (major hurricanes, freezes, drought, etc.).

Despite Florida citrus growers having high-quality fruit, American orange juice companies have had to import high-sugar oranges from foreign competitors to meet the rigid Brix minimum, hurting the U.S. economy, driving up prices, and keeping the dissolved sugar content high in American orange juice.

“Today’s action proves the FDA is fully committed to putting American workers and American growers first, completely dismantling the regulatory barriers that have forced our markets to depend on foreign citrus imports,” says Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas. “By modernizing outdated regulations, the FDA is eliminating unnecessary barriers so American farmers and manufacturers can thrive — and keeping citrus production where it belongs, right here at home.”

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Citrus Shannon Shepp, as well as representatives from Florida Farm Bureau, Florida Citrus Mutual, and the Florida Citrus Processors Association applaud the announcement.

For more information, visit hhs.gov.