Pulp, Juice and Concentrate: The Three Forms in GRAS Notice 947
GRAS Notice 947 covers cacao pulp, juice and juice concentrate. What the notice measured for each form, and the limits it lists.
Pulp, Juice and Concentrate: The Three Forms in GRAS Notice 947
Cacao mucilage reaches food makers in more than one form. GRAS Notice 947 covers three of them: cacao pulp, cacao fruit juice and cacao fruit juice concentrate. This article sets out what the notice measured for each form and the limits it lists. It does not describe any one producer's method, and we do not claim to know it.
What the notice measured
Each value is the mean of five samples.
- Total polyphenols, as gallic acid equivalents, in mg per 100 g: pulp 106.5, juice 61.9, juice concentrate 160.4.
- pH: 3.0 to 3.3 for pulp and juice, and 2.9 to 3.4 for the juice concentrate.
The specification limits for pulp and juice
- Brix: 16 to 20. The batches in the notice measured 16.6 to 18.5.
- Molds and yeasts: each below 50 CFU/g.
- Arsenic: at most 0.05 mg/kg. Mercury: at most 0.005 mg/kg. Lead: at most 0.02 mg/kg. Cadmium: at most 0.02 mg/kg.
The Codex standard CODEX STAN 247-2005 sets a minimum of 14.0 °Brix for reconstituted cacao pulp juice.
Intended use levels
The notice lists maximum use levels by weight: pulp or juice concentrate up to 20% in beverages and, in other foods, juice concentrate 10 to 65% and pulp 15 to 50%.
How the notice reasons about microbial safety
The reasoning rests on two points. The natural acidity of the juice, pH 3.0 to 3.3 from its citric acid, prevents the growth and survival of typical pathogenic microorganisms. And pasteurization destroys the microorganisms that could grow in the juice.
What these sources do not cover
Extraction, filtration, storage temperature, packaging and shelf life are not covered by the sources we use, and we do not publish figures for them.
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.
