Beverages

Jonathan H. Crane, Carlos F. Balerdi, andCarlos F. Balerdi

Camellia sinensis var. sinensis has been cultivated since ancient times in China and Japan and was first exported to Russia. Europeans first encountered tea when traders first reached China, and eventually tea became popular in Europe. The C. sinensis var. assamica tea was being used by indigenous people in India, and during the 1800s was grown along with imported C. sinensis var. sinensis. The hybrids from these are commonly used in tea-growing areas outside China and Japan. Today, tea production and drinking has spread throughout the world. Camellia sinensis var. sinensis is commonly called China type tea and C. sinensis var. assamica is commonly called Assam type tea.

Nicholas Wendrick, Drew Budner, Andrew J. MacIntosh, and Katherine A. Thompson-Witrick

This is a review of the most commonly available wine packaging types currently on the market. This includes glasses bottles, polethylene terephthalate bottles (PET), bag-in-box (BIB), aluminum cans, and Tetra Pack. This publication focuses on the pros and cons of each packaging type in relation to wine and alcoholic beverages.  

Xuwei Song, Nicholas Wendrick, Charles A. Sims, and Andrew MacIntosh

A UF/IFAS numbered Fact Sheet. Published by Nutrition and Food Systems

Savanna J. Curtis, Ali Sarkhosh, Paul J. Sarnoski, Charles A. Sims, and Andrew J. MacIntosh

Peaches are a promising option for the Florida agricultural industry with plenty of revenue streams including fresh market, U-pick, and retail sales, as well as alternatives in the juicing and fermentation industries. This publication discusses a 2018 case study completed on a Florida peach cultivar. ‘UFSun’ were harvested, processed into juice, and analyzed for sugar content, juice yield, and general economic feasibility. The University of Florida has bred peach cultivars that grow commercially in tropical and subtropical climates such as Florida’s and are harvest-ready two months before the rest of the United States, offering competitive advantages. Unfortunately, their small size renders them less profitable in fresh markets compared to larger non-Florida cultivars. Knowing the processing characteristics of Florida peaches provides valuable information for peach farmers who are considering using their peaches for juicing, fermentation, and similar purposes.