Juice Processing Information

All Juice processors in California must obtain a Processed Food Registration (PFR) from California Department of Public Health, Food and Drug Branch.

“Juice” is defined as  the aqueous liquid expressed or extracted from one or more fruits or vegetables, purees of the edible portions of one or more fruits or vegetables, or any concentrates of such liquid or puree (Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 120.1(a)).

All processed juice sold as juice or for use as an ingredient in other beverages is subject to the requirements of the Juice HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) regulation. HACCP is a systematic approach to the identification, evaluation, and control of food safety hazards.

All juice processors subject to the juice HACCP regulation are required to prepare a written hazard analysis of their juice products. The hazard analysis is prepared by collecting and evaluating information on hazards associated with the food under consideration to decide which hazards are significant and therefore must be addressed in the HACCP plan.

In order to meet the requirements of the Juice HACCP regulation, processors of juice products must operate under a HACCP plan that identifies possible hazards, which includes control measures to ensure the safety of the juice. Processing step(s) that will consistently reduce pathogenic bacteria in the finished juice are required. The regulation states that juice processors must include steps in their HACCP plans to achieve, at a minimum, a 5 log reduction in the pertinent microorganism, for a period equivalent to the shelf life of the product when stored under normal and moderate abuse conditions.

The juice HACCP regulation requires that processors apply HACCP principles if they make 100 percent juice or a concentrate of that juice for subsequent beverages. For beverages containing less than 100 percent juice, only the juice ingredient must be made under the HACCP principles.

Retail Establishment means an operation that provides juice directly to consumers on-site and does not sell or distribute juice to other businesses. The term "provides" includes storing, preparing, packaging, serving, and selling juice.

A retail establishment that packages juice for off-site sale to their own satellite retail outlets DOES require a PFR for the processing location.

A qualified “retail establishment” is not required to process juice under the HACCP regulation. However, packaged juice produced at a retail establishment is subject to the food labeling regulations, found in 21 CFR Part 101.17(g), which requires a warning statement on fruit and vegetable juice products that have not been processed to prevent, reduce, or eliminate pathogenic microorganisms.