Strawberry Juice Retains Vitamins After Pasteurization, New Study Finds

A new study found that vitamins in fruit juice are mostly unchanged by pasteurization, with some even increasing in content. The study compared different pasteurization processes, such as conventional thermal processing (TT), high-pressure processing (HP), pulse electric field (PF), and ohmic heating (OH). While some methods resulted in a decrease in certain vitamins, others showed an increase, such as vitamin B1 increasing by 18.1 percent after HP treatment.

However, while unpasteurized juice may be popular among health-conscious individuals, it comes with risks. Raw juice can carry harmful bacteria, such as E. coli and salmonella, which can make individuals sick. The US Food and Drug Administration advises against consuming unpasteurized juice, as the risk is especially high for pregnant individuals, children, and those with compromised immune systems. Therefore, the study highlights the importance of pasteurization in ensuring the safety of fruit juice consumption.