Fruit Juice explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Regulations 2.3.1 to 2.3.15 cover the first half of the fruit and vegetable chapter: canned, bottled and aseptically packed fruits, vegetables, curries and soups, then juices, nectars, fruit beverages, pulps, purees, concentrates, tomato products and soup powders. Most of the standards share one pattern: a description, a few figures such as drained weight, total soluble solids or acidity, and a fill rule for the container. Processors of juices and canned produce can start with FSSAI registration for food manufacturers.
This article reads the text as amended up to 21 October 2024 (FSSAI chapter compendium consolidated to amendment 83; the amendment of 10 July 2025 does not change this chapter). Later notifications should be checked on fssai.gov.in. A compendium is a reference consolidation; the Gazette text prevails.
Thermally processed fruits and vegetables must meet a minimum drained weight and a container fill rule, and each juice has a minimum total soluble solids figure in degrees Brix and a maximum acidity. Sweetened juice, sweetened mango pulp and sweetened pulps must be described as sweetened once added nutritive sweeteners go above 15 g/kg. Every standard allows only additives permitted in Appendix A and requires conformity with the microbiological limits of Appendix B.
Canned and bottled produce: 2.3.1 to 2.3.5
| Regulation | Product | Defining feature | Key parameters named |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3.1 | Thermally processed fruits | sound fruit, whole, halves or pieces, with a packing medium, heat processed | drained weight, fill of container, packing medium declared |
| 2.3.2 | Fruit salad, cocktail or mix | mixed fruits in water, juice or sugar syrup | packing media by Brix class, defect limits, minimum fill, drained weight |
| 2.3.3, 2.3.3A | Thermally processed vegetables; canned tomatoes | vegetables in a suitable medium; peeled or unpeeled tomatoes | drained weight, salt, calcium ion, pH, head space |
| 2.3.4 | Curried or ready to eat vegetables | vegetables, legumes, cereals or pulses in culinary style | fill of container |
| 2.3.5 | Vegetable soups | cooked from juice, pulp or puree of vegetables | total soluble solids |
For thermally processed fruits, drained weight must be not less than 50.0 percent of net weight in a liquid pack and 70.0 percent in a solid pack, and the container must occupy not less than 90.0 percent of its water capacity. Cherries may contain stems and must be labelled accordingly, with drained weight calculated after removing the stems. The fruit salad standard classes the sweetened packing medium by Brix, from extra light sweetened (not less than 10° and not more than 13.9° Brix) to extra heavy (not less than 22° Brix), and prints label words such as "Light Syrup" and "In (name of fruit) juice". For vegetables, drained weight is 50.0 percent of net weight in most liquid packs, with 25.0 percent for edible fungi and vegetables, including baked beans, packed in sauce, and 70.0 percent in a solid pack. Canned tomatoes have a regular pack and a solid pack, with added common salt not exceeding 3 per cent of the net and covering liquid with a pH not higher than 4.5. Vegetable soups need total soluble solids of not less than 5.0 percent, and not less than 7.0 percent for tomato soup.
Fruit and vegetable juices: 2.3.6 to 2.3.8
Regulation 2.3.6 (fruit juices) separates thermally processed juices from non-thermally processed or cold-pressed juices, where no external heat is applied. The product keeps the physical, chemical, organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the fruit. Nutritive sweeteners may be added in amounts not exceeding 50 g/kg, and the text sets a different ceiling of 200 g/kg for very acidic fruits, with exceptions for apple, orange, grape and pineapple juice. The product must be labelled sweetened juice if added nutritive sweeteners exceed 15 gm/kg, and "reconstituted" must appear against a juice made from concentrate in the ingredient list.
The table in 2.3.6(4) lists about 70 fruits with a minimum total soluble solids figure in °Brix and a maximum acidity as citric acid. A few rows exactly as printed:
| Juice | Total soluble solids, °Brix, minimum | Acidity as citric acid, maximum % |
|---|---|---|
| Pineapple | 10.0 | 3.5 |
| Sweet orange | 10.0 | 1.1 |
| Mango | 13.5 | 3.5 |
| Banana | 19.0 | 1.5 |
The table closes with entries for other fruit juices and for juice of two or more fruits (both 10.0 and 3.5), and a note says the coconut entry is coconut water obtained without expressing the coconut meat. Vegetable juices in 2.3.7 may carry edible salt, spices, vinegar and nutritive sweeteners, and lactic-acid-fermented whey of not more than 100 ml/litre; if whey is added, the label says "Vegetable juice with added lactic acid fermented whey/lactoserum". Tomato juice in 2.3.8 has its own table: total soluble solids (excluding salt) 5.0 minimum, sodium chloride 3.0 maximum, pH 4.5 maximum, and no added colours or artificial flavours.
Nectars, beverages, pulps and purees: 2.3.9 to 2.3.14
- Fruit nectars (2.3.9): a table sets the minimum fruit juice content, such as 40 per cent for orange and pineapple nectar and 20 per cent for mango, guava, peach and mixed fruit nectar, with acidity at 1.5 per cent maximum.
- Fruit beverages or ready to serve drinks (2.3.10): fruit juice content (m/m) of not less than 5.0 percent for lime or lemon ready to serve beverage and not less than 10.0 percent for all other beverages.
- Mango pulp or puree (2.3.11): total soluble solids of not less than 15.0 percent for sweetened and not less than 12.0 percent for natural pulp, with acidity (as citric acid) of not less than 0.3 percent in sweetened canned pulp. Nutritive sweeteners may go up to 50 gm/kg, and above 15 gm/kg the product is described as sweetened.
- Other fruit pulp or puree (2.3.12): total soluble solids exclusive of added sugar of not less than 6.0 percent and acidity of not less than 0.3 percent.
- Concentrated juice, pulp or puree (2.3.13): total soluble content not less than double that of the original product.
- Tomato puree and paste (2.3.14): total soluble solids (w/w) of not less than 9.0 percent for puree and not less than 25 percent for paste.
Soup powders: 2.3.15
Soup powders are made by dehydrating fresh or processed vegetables or fruit, blended with salt, sweeteners, spices and condiments. Moisture (m/m) must be not more than 5.0 percent and total soluble solids on a ready-to-serve basis not less than 5.0 percent.
A practical example
Orchard Fresh packs mango pulp. A lab report shows total soluble solids of 13.0 percent and no added sugar. Under 2.3.11 that fits the natural pulp column, which is not less than 12.0 percent, and it must not be sold as sweetened pulp. If the company adds nutritive sweeteners above 15 gm/kg, the product must be described as sweetened mango pulp and meet the sweetened column. For the wider beverage picture see our overview of beverage standards for water and juice.
Where this leads
The second half of the chapter is in our article on squashes, syrups, ketchup, sauces and jams, and the next on pickles, chutneys and vinegar. The licence side for juice makers is in our post on registration for water and juice businesses.
Need help with juice and canned produce standards?
Brix, acidity and drained weight are easy to measure and easy to miss on a label. Our team can review your specification and label against these standards through FSSAI registration for food manufacturers.
Key takeaways
- Canned fruit needs a minimum drained weight and a container filled to not less than 90.0 percent of water capacity.
- Each juice has a minimum Brix and a maximum acidity in the 2.3.6 table.
- Sweetened juice and sweetened pulp labels apply above 15 g/kg of added nutritive sweeteners.
- Nectars and beverages carry minimum fruit juice content figures.
- Tomato puree and paste have minimum total soluble solids of 9.0 and 25 percent.
Read next
- Regulations 2.3.16 to 2.3.34: squashes, syrups, ketchup, sauces and jams
- Regulations 2.3.35 to 2.3.47: pickles, chutney, vinegar and nuts
- Beverage standards: water and juice
- Registration for water and juice businesses
Disclaimer: Based on the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 as consolidated in FSSAI's chapter-wise compendium (to amendment 83 of 21 October 2024) and the First Amendment Regulations, 2025, as consulted on fssai.gov.in on 2-3 October 2026. Later notifications and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.