Process of preparing frozen juice product

Abstract

A process for producing a frozen whole juice product, in which juice is frozen in plastic containers that have substantially planar faces after freezing.

We claim: 
     
       1. A process for producing from fresh whole citrus fruit juice a frozen whole fruit juice product which upon defrosting has the taste and nutritional content of freshly squeezed whole citrus juice, comprising the steps of: (a) promptly after extraction, pre-cooling freshly extracted whole citrus fruit juice to a temperature within about 5° F. above the temperature at which the juice freezes;   (b) filling with the pre-cooled fresh whole fruit juice a self-supporting bottle-like container of rectangular cross-section having integrally formed generally planar vertical sidewalls of rectangular shape, a bottom wall and a top wall having a filling and serving opening therein adapted to be sealed with closure means, said sidewalls each being formed to have a concave inwardly bulging area which in response to freezing expansion of the contained juice becomes substantially planar;   (c) sealing the opening in the top wall of the container with a suitable closure means; and   (d) promptly after sealing, freezing the contained pre-cooled whole fruit juice, whereby the inwardly bulging area of each sidewall is displaced outwardly in response to freezing and cause the sidewalls to become substantially planar, thereby to form a completely protected solid block of frozen whole fruit juice.   
     
     
       2. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the citrus fruit juice is freshly extracted orange juice or grapefruit juice. 
     
     
       3. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the opening in the top wall of said container is sealed with reuseable closure means adapted to be removed to dispense one or more servings of the juice and to reseal the container between servings to facilitate shaking of the remaining juice. 
     
     
       4. A process as defined in claim 3, wherein said opening is circular and surrounded with a threaded neck and said closure means is a threaded cap threadably engaging the threaded neck. 
     
     
       5. A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the sidewalls of said container each has a concave, inwardly bulging area when the container is empty constructed and arranged to assume a position substantially co-planar with the sidewall when forced outwardly by freezing expansion of the contained juice. 
     
     
       6. A method for packaging freshly extracted whole orange juice which enables the juice to be stored for long periods of time without losing the taste and nutritional content of fresh whole orange juice, comprising the steps of: (a) promptly after extraction, pre-cooling freshly extracted whole orange juice to a temperature about 5° F. above the temperature at which whole orange juice freezes;   (b) filling to a predetermined level with the pre-cooled whole orange juice, a self-supporting bottle-like plastic container of square cross-section having integrally formed generally planar vertical sidewalls of rectangular shape, a bottom wall and a top wall having a filling and serving opening therein adapted to be sealed with resealable closure means, each sidewall being shaped to have a concave area bulging inwardly from the otherwise generally planar sidewall when the container is empty and dimensioned and constructed to be forced outwardly by freezing expansion of the contained juice so as to be substantially co-planar with the sidewall;   (c) sealing the opening in said container with resealable closure means; and   (d) promptly freezing the contained pre-cooled juice whereby the inwardly bulging area of each sidewall is displaced outwardly in response to freezing and cause the sidewalls to become substantially planar thereby to form a completely protected solid block of frozen whole orange juice.   
     
     
       7. A method of packaging fresh, whole orange juice as defined in claim 6, wherein said container is made from food grade, high density polyethylene, and wherein said opening is circular and surrounded with a threaded neck and said resealable closure means is a screw cap threadably engaging the threaded neck. .Iadd. 
     
     
       8.  A process for producing from fresh whole fruit juice a frozen whole fruit juice product, comprising the steps of: promptly after extraction, pre-cooling fresh whole fruit juice to a temperature within about 5° F. above the temperature at which the juice freezes;   filling with the pre-cooled fresh whole fruit juice a self-supporting bottle-like container of substantially rectangular cross-section having a top wall with an opening therein and having sidewalls, a portion of which sidewalls are inwardly bulging;   sealing the opening in the top wall of the container with a closure; and   promptly after sealing, freezing the sealed whole fruit juice to produce the frozen whole fruit juice product, wherein the sidewalls bulge outwardly but maintain a substantially rectangular cross-section for storage of multiple filled and frozen containers proximate each other without undue waste of space. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       9.  The method, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of sealing the opening is performed with a resealable closure adapted to be removed to dispense the juice and to be resealed to seal any remaining juice in the container. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. The method, as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of filling fills a container having an opening which is circular and surrounded by a threaded neck, and wherein the step of sealing comprises the step of engaging a threaded cap with the threaded neck. 
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.11.  The method, as claimed in claim 10, wherein the step of filling fills a container made from polyethylene. .Iaddend.