| Abstract: | Juice from five different varieties of oranges grown in Lebanon was canned according to commercial practices and stored at room temperature. At weekly intervals for seven weeks, chemical analyses for ascorbic acid, total acidity, total soluble solids, nitrogen, ash, total lipids, total solids, essential oils and flavonoids were performed on each sample. The fresh juice from the Blood and Washington Navel varieties compared favourably in chemical composition with a concentrated frozen product from the U.S.A.; the juice from Blood withstood canning and storage better than all other varieties tested. In all samples, there was a significant decrease in the levels of ascorbic acid and of essential oils during storage. Statistical analysis of organoleptic evaluations showed that, in general, blends of two or three different varieties were preferred to the juice from a single variety. |
