Beware of Packed Juices!

Today, there is a countless array of packed juices and soft drinks choices available in the market. Still, it is significant to judge what is safe and healthy for you. Always buy pasteurized juices, do check for labels, date of manufacturing and use by date.

Here are the list of few pointers that one must keep in mind while selecting packed juices or soft drinks:

While choosing the right drink, always go for 100 per cent fruit juice without added sugar, followed by a fruit drink having low sugar content and high quantity of fruit content, else then a fruit drink.

Last in the list are flavored drinks as they only contain fruit flavors, no fruit content. Try your best to avoid all these as they will only give you water and sugar and will quench out your thirst.

Fruits are perishable, hence harmful pathogens from contaminated fruit can easily enter fruit juices at any time during preparation, processing and handling of fruit drinks. Thus, Fruit drinks have a short shelf life.

Indecorously packaged fruit juices and soft drinks encourage the growth of fungi and molds. So, in order to increase the shelf life of fruit drinks; Juice manufacturers generally pasteurizes juices with a quick high-heat treatment that extends shelf life to between 9 to 12 months depending on the packaging. Therefore, having pasteurized juices will help prevent food-borne illnesses.

Nowadays, we find juices that are cold-pressed. These juices need to be stored under specific temperature controls either they will get contaminated. Never go for a cold-pressed juices that are placed on an open shelf unless they are from chillers or freezers.

Fresh fruits are vulnerable to chemical contamination as pesticides are sprayed on them to prevent pest infusion. Buyers must buy fruit juices and other such drinks only from a reputed store as they carry out regular testing of products.

Check for the proper packaging of the containers as physical damage like broken seal, dents or breakages may lead to microbial contamination.

Read the label carefully as it has the list of ingredients and nutrition followed by the date of manufacturing and use by date.