Vitamin C is defined as hexuronic acid, cevitamin acid or xiloascorbic acid. The term vitamin C is commonly used to describe all these compounds even though the representative of which is ascorbic acid.
Citrus fruits provide about 51% of vitamin C and also large quantities of some carotenoids: 68% for β-cryptoxanthin and 43% for zeaxanthin.
Many factors influence the vitamin C content of citrus fruits such as lemon. Decadence of ascorbic acid earnings both aerobic and anaerobic pathways and appertain to many factors such as oxygen, heat, light, storage temperature and storage time.
During juice processing, temperature and oxygen are the main factors responsible for vitamin C losses. Non-thermal processed juices retain higher levels of vitamin C.
Regarding packing material, vitamin C in fruit juice is quite stable when stored in metal or glass containers, whereas juice stored in plastic bottles has a much shorter shelf-life.
This water soluble vitamin contributes to many health benefits such as prevention of scurvy and cancer, relief from common cold, stimulate collagen synthesis and play a significant role in wound healing process. Deficiency of this vitamin in the body causes many diseases such as scurvy.
Vitamin C in fruit juice and health benefits