Companies who create bottled fruit juices are legally required to make a distinction between a fruit drink and a fruit juice. Bottled products named with blend, drink or beverage usually contain ten percent juice or less. Instead they are mostly water with flavoring. Items labeled as ciders or juice must be real fruit juice.

Commercial products are often pasteurized. Pasteurization is a process designed to kill harmful pathogens and bacteria. This removes ninety percent of undesirable organisms and makes products safe for storage during transportation. Juices are rapidly heated and cooled in both the standard practice and high heat methods.

The bad news is many beneficial nutrients and vitamins are also eliminated. General Bacteriology 12th edition by Mr Jorda concludes that half of the vitamin C is lost during pasteurization. It further states that children who drink only pasteurized milk may lack vitamin C and be at risk. The article Milk: It Does a Body Good by nutritionist Lori Lopinski says that half of the vitamin C is removed by milk pasteurization. Furthermore, additional vitamins like A, D and E are removed as well. The vitamin C loss is more significant since it is water soluble while the others are fat soluble.

The scientific community is not completely convinced about the possible nutrient loss. Some say very little vitamins are lost, while others claim significant loss. One thing that is certain is that manufactures do add vitamin C into commercial products to compensate. Ascorbic acid will be listed on the ingredients. This is vitamin C. Synthetic nutrients are added to replenish what was eliminated. The company does this so they can make claims that there is a daily supply of vitamin C in an eight ounce serving.

Some juices are not pasteurized. California juice manufacturer Odwalla sold unpasteurized juice up until 1996. In that year, Odwalla caused some E coli related deaths with their juice. Odwalla has since pasteurized their juices. Odwalla was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company in 2001. Companies are required to note on the package if the contents have been pasteurized. You can determine which products the FDA considers safe by looking for this label.

Oxygen in the atmosphere will react with vitamin C. Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. It is named that because it retards the process of oxidation. Oxidation is a term used when substances react with oxygen to form stable compounds. Antioxidants are a source of electrons and prevent oxygen from oxidizing other molecules. Oxygen is a free radical and can potentially damage cells in the body. By consuming antioxidants the free radicals are neutralized before they hurt organs or tissues. The oxygen present in the atmosphere will trigger a reaction.