FDA, USDA announce proposed rule for the modernization of orange juice regulations to benefit American growers

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a proposal to modernize orange juice regulations.

This change aims to support American citrus growers and reduce reliance on foreign imports.

The proposed update will adjust the standard of identity for pasteurized orange juice. It will lower the minimum Brix level, a measure of sugar content, from 10.5 percent to 10 percent, aligning with the natural Brix level of American oranges. This adjustment is expected to save manufacturers more than $50 million annually.

“For years, we’ve been wasting beautiful American oranges simply due to an outdated regulation, while relying on a high volume of imports,” said Makary. He added that this change will he