A drink that contains juice, or looks or tastes like it does, has to say how much: "Contains 15% lemon juice" or "15% juice", as a whole number no higher than the real figure. That covers a lemonade with lemon juice, an agua fresca, a juice blend, and a drink with a picture of fruit on it. Under 1% it says "less than 1% juice"; a drink with no juice that still looks or tastes like it does says "contains 0% juice". 100% juice with something added, a sweetener or preservative, says "100% juice with added sweetener" when the 100% claim isn't beside the ingredient list. The declaration goes near the top of the information panel, in bold type at least as big as the rest, or near the name on the front if there's no information panel. In the example below, a San Diego juice maker labels four drinks.
The short version
- A drink with juice, or that looks or tastes like it has juice, declares the percentage.
- "Contains 15% lemon juice": a whole number, not above the real figure.
- Under 1%: "less than 1% juice"; none but looks like it: "contains 0% juice".
- 100% juice with additions: "100% juice with added sweetener".
- Near the top of the information panel, bold, or near the name on the front.
- Juice blends made from pressed juice are figured by volume.
- TaroStack keeps each drink as a recipe by volume or weight. More below.
What it says
| The drink | On the label |
|---|---|
| A lemonade with 15% lemon juice | "Contains 15% lemon juice" or "15% juice" |
| An agua fresca with 40% watermelon juice | "Contains 40% watermelon juice" |
| A juice with less than 1% | "Less than 1% juice" |
| A drink with fruit on the label and no juice | "Contains 0% juice", or "contains no juice" |
| 100% juice with a sweetener added | "100% juice with added sweetener" when not beside the ingredient list |
| A flavored water with minor juice, no picture, no "juice" on the label | May be exempt |
Juice that isn't treated carries a warning, in juice warning label, and the drink's name on the front in statement of identity food label.
The rules
| Rule | Where |
|---|---|
| Which drinks | Any beverage that contains juice or represents that it does, by name, picture, or color and flavor (21 CFR 101.30(a)) |
| The wording | "Contains __ percent (or %) __ juice" or "__ percent juice", a whole number not greater than the actual; less than 1 percent as such (101.30(b)) |
| No juice | A beverage that only appears to contain juice declares zero percent juice (101.30(d)) |
| Flavored drinks | Minor juice for flavor, labeled with "flavored" and no juice term, vignette or juice-like look, is exempt (101.30(c)) |
| Placement | Near the top of the information panel, bold, no smaller than the largest type there apart from the brand and name; or near the name on the principal display panel (101.30(e), (g)) |
| How it's figured | Blends of expressed juice by volume; juice from concentrate by FDA's minimum Brix values (101.30(h), (j)) |
This is general information, not legal advice.
An example: four drinks
Sunset Cliffs Juice Co., the made-up cold-pressed juice maker in San Diego, California, I use in these examples, sells four bottled drinks to grocers. A grocer asked why the lemonade carried no percentage:
| Drink | Juice in it | On the information panel |
|---|---|---|
| Green juice | Cucumber, celery, apple, kale, lemon, all pressed | "100% juice" |
| Lemonade | Lemon juice, 15% by volume, with water and cane sugar | "Contains 15% lemon juice" |
| Watermelon agua fresca | Watermelon juice, 40%, with water, lime and sugar | "Contains 40% watermelon juice" |
| Hibiscus cooler | None; hibiscus tea with a picture of berries on the label | "Contains 0% juice" |
The lemonade had said "made with real lemons" and no percentage; it needed "Contains 15% lemon juice" near the top of the information panel, bold. The hibiscus cooler has no juice, but the berries on its label suggest it, so it says "Contains 0% juice", or the berries come off. Bottles and labels are in how to package juice for sale.
Get the checker
Download the percent juice checker. One sheet: each drink, its juice percentage by volume, whether its label or look suggests juice, and whether 100% juice has anything added; the declaration fills in. It's an ordinary Excel file with no macros, and it works in Google Sheets, LibreOffice and Numbers.
Where this stops working
The checker writes the line. The percentage is only right if every batch follows the recipe; a lemonade made with more water to stretch a short day changes the number on the bottle.
How TaroStack does it
TaroStack keeps each drink as a recipe and each batch as a lot, so what's in a package, and who got it, is on record.
Recipes by weight. Each drink is a recipe with its ingredients by weight, so a recipe change shows which labels it touches.
Batches by lot. Each batch records the recipe and ingredient lots it used, and lot labels print for the cases.
Recalls. If a batch went out with the wrong label, one report shows every customer who got it.
| The job | Notebook | In TaroStack |
|---|---|---|
| Which recipe a batch followed | Remembered | Each batch from its recipe |
| Which batch a package came from | Written on it | The lot on its label |
| Who got a mislabeled batch | Invoices | One recall report |
Recipes, batches, lots and recalls are on every plan, from $49 a month. The first 30 days are free, with no credit card. If you'd like a hand setting up, ask, and we'll do it with you.