Florida citrus leaders praised a federal change taking effect Monday lowering the natural sugar content of processed orange juice, which they say will allow growers to get more of the state’s signature crop into the market and to advertise a healthier drink option.
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and FDA Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas made the annoucement in Lakeland on Friday to announce the change.
The FDA is reducing the minimum Brix standard — a measure of the fruit’s natural sugar content and other dissolved solids that helps determine juice quality — from 10.5% to 10%…