A sponsored symposium was held at the International Congress on Nutrition to discuss the role of the fruit matrix in modulating the impact of 100% fruit juice (FJ) on markers of glycaemic control and vascular health and to present two recent studies. Structural, nutrient, and non-nutrient components of FJ, which comprise the fruit matrix and include polyphenols, pectins, vitamins, and minerals, have been shown in previous studies to influence postprandial metabolic responses. While the free sugar content of FJ and sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) can be similar, the fruit matrix distinguishes FJ from SSBs, the latter typically lacking in micronutrients and containing added sugars. Epidemiological studies consistently report that higher polyphenol intakes are associated with a lower risk of CVD, while some randomised controlled trials on citrus juices (rich in the flavanone, hesperidin) find beneficial effects for vascular function and blood pressure. Other randomised controlled trials report that FJ has neutral effects on cardiometabolic markers, which may be due to intra-individual differences in the digestion and absorption of polyphenols. The symposium concluded that the benign influence of the fruit matrix justifies the categorisation of FJ as a type of processed fruit, and not an SSB, for public health and regulatory purposes.

Fruit juice (FJ) is typically low in energy, contains natural sugars, important amounts of micronutrients and is not permitted to have added sugars/sweeteners. However, its role in a healthy diet is under scrutiny partly due to the wider adoption of the definition for free sugars in nutrition policy. This review aimed to identify data on FJ consumption from national food consumption surveys across Europe, to examine current intakes, percent consumers and its contribution to intakes of energy, total sugars, free sugars, vitamin C, folate and potassium. Data were extracted on the population mean intake of FJ and its contribution to nutrient intakes across the lifecycle and crude estimates of population mean intakes across countries were reported for the total population and for consumers only. This review highlighted significant gaps/challenges regarding the availability of country-specific national food consumption surveys across Europe and specifically data on FJ consumption (including complexities surrounding categorisations). Nonetheless, using a comparable/homogenous definition, the mean intake of FJ among consumers was approximately 1 × 150 ml glass/day for adults/older adults, with lower intakes among infants (86 g/d), children (108 g/d) and teenagers (112 g/d). FJ made important contributions to intakes of vitamin C while making little contribution to energy intakes but also contributed 2–14 % of free sugars intake (which may be considered modest compared to other sources). The complexity of collating and interpreting data on FJ intake as elucidated in this review raises questions surrounding the categorisation of FJ in research and presents significant challenges for policymakers with respect to dietary guidance for FJ.

The aim of the study was to investigate how soft drink and fruit juice consumption in teenagers is associated with life-style, other food choices, eating behaviour and maternal characteristics. A cross-sectional study of 16-year-old girls (n 275) and boys (n 199) and their mothers was undertaken. Questionnaires were used to assess habitual dietary intake, eating behaviour, physical activity, smoking and educational level. Weight and height were measured. It was found that eating breakfast less than five times per week was independently associated with a high soft drink consumption in both girls and boys. A low intake of cooked meals and milk and a high intake of salty snacks were associated with soft drinks in boys only, and a low intake of fruits in girls only. A high maternal juice intake, low milk and high fruit consumption were independent correlates of fruit juice intake in both girls and boys. In girls, being a smoker, having a smoking mother, a high soft drink intake, scoring low on emotional eating and high on cognitive restraint were also associated with fruit juice intake. A low intake of soft drinks and cooked meals was associated with fruit juice intake in boys only. Neither soft drinks nor fruit juice was associated with BMI. In conclusion, a high intake of both fruit juice and soft drinks were associated with a lower intake of foods such as milk and cooked meals. It might be possible to influence fruit juice intake among teenagers by aiming at their mothers, whereas the adolescents themselves should be targeted when the aim is to reduce soft drink consumption.

Inflammation and endothelial activation are associated with an increased risk of CVD and epidemiological evidence suggests an association between levels of markers of inflammation or endothelial activation and the intake of fruit. Also, vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant, has anti-inflammatory properties. We performed a randomised 2 × 2 factorial, crossover trial to determine the effect of orange and blackcurrant juice (500 ml/d) and vitamin E (15 mg RRR-α-tocopherol/d) supplementation on markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in forty-eight patients with peripheral arterial disease. Patients were randomly allocated to two dietary supplements from the four possible combinations of juice and vitamin E: juice+vitamin E; juice+placebo; reference beverage (sugar drink)+vitamin E; and reference beverage+placebo. The supplementations were given for 28 d, separated by a 4-week wash-out period. Analysis of main effects showed that juice decreased C-reactive protein (CRP) by 11 % and fibrinogen by 3 % while the reference drink increased CRP by 13 % and fibrinogen by 2 % (P < 0·008 and P < 0·002, respectively). No significant differences were measured for IL-6 and the endothelial activation markers von Willebrand factor, tissue-plasminogen activator and plasmin activator inhibitor-1. Vitamin E supplementation had no significant effects on the various markers. We observed no significant interaction between juice and vitamin E. In this study, orange and blackcurrant juice reduced markers of inflammation, but not markers of endothelial activation, in patients with peripheral arterial disease, relative to sugar drinks.