Text Box: COMPARISONS OF NUTRIENT CONTENTS OF FRESH FRUIT JUICES VS COMMERCIAL FRUIT JUICES Densupsoontorn N1, Jirapinyo P1, Phosuya P1, Tritiprat A1, Thammonsiri N1, Pidacha P2, Suwanthol L2, Patraarat S1 1 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital 2 Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medical Technology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand Objective: To analyse the types and quantities of carbohydrate, electrolyte, pH and osmolarity of fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices. Methods: Forty kinds of fresh fruits and commercial fruit juices available in Thai markets were analysed for nutrient contents. The data of fresh fruit juices were expressed per 100 g of fruits and those of commercial fruit juices were expressed per 100 ml. Results: About 33% of fresh fruit juices and 75% of commercial fruit juices contained sucrose in the range of 0.1-18.0 g and 0.1-11.2 g, respectively. Glucose and fructose were also another carbohydrates commonly found in both fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices which varied from 0.6-5.8 g and 2.0-7.8 g of glucose, 0.3-5.7 g and 0.5-7.5 g of fructose. Fresh fruit juices that had high ratio of fructose to glucose were apple, grape, zalacca, plum, strawberry, Chinese pear and tomato. In commercial fruit juices, litchi, apple and passion fruit also had high ratio of fructose to glucose. Most of fruit juices did not contain sorbitol. Some kinds of fresh fruits juices and commercial fruit juices contained sorbitol in the range of 0.04-3.4 g, 0.1-14.9 g, respectively. Prune had the highest sorbitol content. In fresh fruit juices, sodium was not high which varied from 0.0-4.8 mg. In contrast, the commercial fruit juices had rather high sodium which varied from 1.9-140.5 mg. Potassium contents in fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices varied from 18-154.5 mg and 2.9-387.9 mg, respectively. Osmolarity of fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices ranged from 310-1544 and 545-1453 mOsm/kg, respectively. Conclusion: The nutrient contents of fresh fruit juices and commercial fruit juices from the same kinds of fruit are not the same, mostly due to manufacturing process. Consumers should know the compositions of these fruit juices in order to consume them properly and economically. 2405