Coconut water concentrate vs. coconut water made from single strength
We all know that not from concentrate means the juice is mostly packaged near the source. That is very nice if the fruit grows nearby. But what about when the fruit grows and is packaged half a world away?
Specializing in tropical fruit ingredients, iTi Tropicals encourages the use of frozen fruit concentrates in instances where quality is not affected by the concentration and freezing process. Perhaps the best example is coconut water concentrate.
Being largely neutral in flavor and color, coconut water made from concentrate is almost indistinguishable from single-strength. With its high volume reduction ratio of 18.1 to one, ocean and domestic freight savings are substantial. This saves both logistics costs and impact on the planet (because transportation requires non-renewable energy).
In addition, coconut water concentrate makes it possible for products to be packaged in the US by responsible domestic packagers. A recent white paper released by iTi shows that many offshore packers add undeclared sugar and even preservatives. Domestic packers might be far more responsible to adherence of regulatory, quality, labeling and safety compliance as well as being aware of the high level of competitive scrutiny.
There is a common misconception that single-strength coconut water is somehow better than coconut water made from concentrate. Nothing is further from the truth! Many offshore brands behave as if they are exempt from US label requirements. From the nut, coconut water has 3% to 4% natural sugars, but many brands deliver products that are 5% sugar or more. This is why some leading brands add declared sugar and many other brands add undeclared sugar to enhance sweetness.
Coconut waters made from concentrate taste the same and look the same as single-strength coconut water. They also have the same nutritional content as single-strength.
For more information please request the White Paper on sugar added coconut water by clicking here .
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