Start with the ingredient list
Ingredients are listed by descending weight. If juice sits well down the list, the product is mostly water and sugar. If flavourings, colours or thickeners appear, the flavour depends on additions rather than fermentation.
Then the pasteurisation and cold chain
Products claiming live cultures normally need refrigeration and carry short shelf life; ambient long-life products are typically pasteurised and contain no live cells. Neither is inherently better, but the claim must match the process.
Strain declaration and batch consistency
Serious suppliers name the cultures used, ideally down to strain level. The more practical test is consistency: buy three batches and compare acidity and aroma. Stable results reflect real parameter control on the line.
Analytical data is the underlying evidence
Acidity, Brix, pH and soluble solids are more objective than sensory description. For buyers, asking for a certificate of analysis per batch tells you more about a supplier than a single tasting.
Frequently asked
- Is sediment a sign the product has gone off?
- Not necessarily. Pulpy or lightly homogenised products settle naturally. Sediment together with swelling, off-odours or mould is a different matter and indicates microbial spoilage.
- Is a brighter colour better?
- No. Anthocyanins and other pigments change during fermentation and storage. Unnaturally vivid colour is a reason to check for added colourants, not a quality signal.