ABSTRACT
According to EU Directive 2001/112/EC of December 20, 2001, relating to fruit juices and certain similar products intended for human consumption, a fruit juice is a fermentable but unfermented product having the characteristics of the fruit from which it comes. This definition emphasizes one of the main aspects of concern from the microbiological point of view: fruit juices are a suitable substrate for the growth of microorganisms, such as fermenting yeasts. However, not only yeasts are responsible for fruit juice spoilage. A wide variety of microorganisms can cause alterations in fruit juices, including aciduric bacteria, xerophilic yeasts, and molds. This chapter will review the main microorganisms involved in fruit juice spoilage, including data on the effect that fruit juice treatments can have on them and the analytical methods most commonly used to detect them. Aspects related to the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in fruit beverages are described in the following chapter.
