Tropicana

[tp4tissue]

Haven't bought ne in a while.

Got some on Costco sale,  it's significantly more bitter than Tp4 remembered.

Has that been going on for a while? Maybe they masticating the oranges harder for say 3% more juice for the bottom line. But their squishing process does not peel the oranges, and thus more compression means more of the Peel's bitterness is getting into the final blend.

Thoughts?

[noisyturtle]

I think fruit in general is much worse than it was even like 15 years ago. I've also noticed store oj is less sweet, you need to get fresh pressed from a farm stand or store that gets their oranges from a less commercial source. I got some fresh oj at the farmer's market a month ago and it blew my tongue away with flavor and sweetness.

[Leslieann]

Your taste buds can change over time but I also agree with Noisyturtle, I've noticed the same with canned tomatoes, they got sour somewhere around that same time frame.
Fertilizer? GMOs? Not sure but it ruined my grandmothers spaghetti.

[fohat.digs]

Publix house brand is the best orange juice, in my opinion. The company is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida ....

[tp4tissue]

Publix house brand is the best orange juice, in my opinion. The company is headquartered in Lakeland, Florida ....

There was that orange juice book which said there's no substitute for fresh squeezed, because they boil the juice's flavor away during pasteurization, and the majority of the final taste is a flavor pack blend re-introduced into the mash.

Tp4's suspicion here is, their mash is more bitter now, because they've cycled the masticator deeper, ending up with more initial volume, but also more bitter peel juice

[fohat.digs]

there's no substitute for fresh squeezed, because they boil the juice's flavor away during pasteurization

their mash is more bitter now, because they've cycled the masticator deeper, ending up with more initial volume, but also more bitter peel juice

Quite true, and, obviously the most aesthetically pleasing oranges are sold whole, and the junk at the bottom of the pile is juiced for production.

But it's grapefruit for the win, anyway. Far better than oranges.