- Author: Therese Kapaun
The Fruit Quality Laboratory at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center is in full swing for the 2012-2013 harvest season. Jamie Nemecek demonstrates use of the hydraulically powered Boswell Press, which squeezes citrus fruit at 1000 psi to produce juice for testing. The juice is used to measure total soluble solids (TSS or commonly referred to as °Brix) and to calculate % acid (titratable acid or TA). These values are needed to calculate the California Standard, a fruit maturity value that was recently passed into law for California navel oranges. The law requires the fruit juice to have a minimum value of 90 to ensure that only pleasant tasting oranges are sent to market. Different levels of pressure could cause variation in juice chemistry, such as contamination with excessive amounts of rind oil. The Boswell Press keeps the juice extraction consistent, providing excellent data for Lindcove research.