Juice bars with surprisingly good quality

Juice bars convince in the test, freshly squeezed juices better than expected

07/25/2012

Stiftung Warentest tested the quality and hygiene of juice bars and came up with a surprisingly positive result. But the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety previously assumed that it with the „microbiological quality of open, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices from juice bars is not at its best“, so the message of the Stiftung Warentest.

Especially at high temperatures and sunshine, the juice bars are currently enjoying a particularly enormous popularity. The refreshing vitamin boost for the day from oranges, carrots or exotic fruits is very much in vogue - not least because of the expected positive effect on health. However, the experts of the Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety suspected that there were potential health risks due to excessive germ contamination. The Stiftung Warentest has therefore checked the freshly squeezed orange juice in 13 juice bars in Berlin and a juice bar in Potsdam. The testers rated the germ load only at a juice bar „inadequate“. However, all samples contained residues of pesticides, which according to Stiftung Warentest, however, should not pose a health risk.

Microbial load only in a juice bar poor
The testers report that their hygiene check in the 14 examined juice bars is better than expected and „the result on the whole for the Juices to go speak.“ In terms of germ load, seven juice bars reached the rating „Well“ or „very well“, five „satisfying“, a „sufficient“ and a „inadequate“. According to Stiftung Warentest contained the „inadequate“ Juice sample a much too high total germ count and also the number of acetic and lactic acid bacteria and yeasts was too high. These are indications, „that the juice was almost spoiled“, so the rating of the tester. Otherwise, however, no serious shortcomings were found in the freshly pressed juices in terms of hygiene.

Pesticide residues in freshly squeezed juices
On the other hand, pesticide residues found in all freshly squeezed juices seem to be a concern, even if Stiftung Warentest reports that they pose no health risk. According to Stiftung Warentest, the pesticides get into the juices, since „unlike juice factories juice bars in this country do not use freshly picked fruit, but dessert fruit“, which is protected after the harvest for transport with so-called surface treatment agents from pests and mold. These pesticides can pass from the shell into the juice when pressed. Although the pesticides are not a health risk, „Juice bars should take the pesticides seriously and take countermeasures, for example washing the fruits with warm water before pressing them or turning to untreated oranges or organic fruits“, explained the Stiftung Warentest.

High vitamin C content of freshly squeezed orange juice
Overall, the evaluation of freshly squeezed juices is quite convincing. For the freshly squeezed orange juice speak according to the testers especially „the most good grades in smell and taste“, and the high content of vitamin C. In any case, orange juice contains a lot of vitamin C and even a glass of pasteurized juices „covers an average of 70 milligrams per 0.2 liters of daily needs to two-thirds.“ For freshly squeezed juices, the vitamin C content is often a third higher, according to Stiftung Warentest. For „Urgent on the way at the train station and in the shopping center“ the juice bars are therefore an ideal opportunity. (Fp)

Also read about juice and health:
Stiftung Warentest: Hardly healthy multivitamin juices
Too much multivitamin juice harmful

Picture credits: birgitH