Acidity in Cacao Juice: pH, Citric Acid and Brix
What GRAS Notice 947 measured for the acidity and sugar content of cacao pulp and juice: a pH of 3.0 to 3.3, about 1.0 g of citric acid per 100 g, and a Brix specification of 16 to 20.
Acidity in Cacao Juice: pH, Citric Acid and Brix
Three numbers describe how cacao juice tastes and how it is specified: its pH, its citric acid and its Brix. This article explains each one and gives the values from GRAS Notice 947.
pH
pH is a scale of acidity: the lower the number, the more acidic the liquid. The pH of cacao pulp and juice in the notice is 3.0 to 3.3, and 2.9 to 3.4 for the juice concentrate.
Citric acid
Citric acid is the main organic acid in cacao pulp and juice. The notice measured about 1.0 g per 100 g, and it gives the juice its tart flavor.
Brix
Brix is a measure of dissolved solids, mostly sugars, as a percentage by weight. The notice's specification for cacao pulp and juice is 16 to 20 °Brix, and the batches it reports measured 16.6 to 18.5. The Codex standard CODEX STAN 247-2005 sets a minimum of 14.0 °Brix for reconstituted cacao pulp juice.
How the notice uses acidity
The notice reasons that the natural acidity of the juice, from its citric acid, prevents the growth and survival of typical pathogenic microorganisms, and that pasteurization destroys the microorganisms that could grow in it. It also lists a specification of molds and yeasts each below 50 CFU/g for pulp and juice.
What we do not give
We give no shelf life, storage temperature or preservation figures, because the sources we use do not report them. Shelf life depends on processing, packaging and storage, and a supplier should be able to say how theirs was tested.
Sources
- CABOSSE Naturals NV (notifier). GRAS Notice GRN 947: Cacao pulp, cacao fruit juice, and cacao fruit juice concentrate (FDA response: no questions). U.S. FDA GRAS Notice Inventory, 2020. Notice (PDF) (opens in a new tab).
- Codex Alimentarius. CODEX STAN 247-2005, General Standard for Fruit Juices and Nectars.
Learn more
- What the studies report - What published studies and GRAS Notice 947 report
- Regulatory status - How cacao pulp and juice are treated in the United States, the European Union and Brazil
- Safety information - Serving suggestions and cautions
- Nutrition facts and sources - The measured values and where each comes from
This content is for educational purposes only and summarizes published sources. It is not medical advice.
