An apparatus for making citrus juice preferably includes a supply of
relatively small frozen bodies comprising at least one of citrus juice and
pulp, a heating section for adding heat to the frozen bodies to thaw the
frozen bodies, and a filling section downstream from the heating section
for filling juice containers with citrus juice. The relatively small
frozen bodies may have at least one dimension less than about 1.5 inches.
The apparatus may also include a pasteurizing section upstream from the
filling section. In one embodiment, the supply comprises a plurality of
portable containers each containing a plurality of frozen bodies. The
heating section preferably comprises a heat transfer tank, a heat transfer
fluid in the heat transfer tank, a heater for the heat transfer fluid, and
a conveyor for advancing the containers of frozen bodies through the heat
transfer fluid. Each portable container may comprise a flexible bag, for
example. In accordance with another advantageous feature of the invention,
the apparatus may include at least one other supply of liquid citrus
juice. A blending tank may be provided between the heating section and the
filling section and connected to the at least one other supply of liquid
citrus juice. The blending tank permits blending of different citrus
juices, and/or for blending with concentrated juices, for example.