When developing a fruit juice, smoothie, sorbet, functional beverage, or a fruit-based preparation such as acai purée, acai purée, one indicator regularly appears in industrial specifications: degrees Brix (°Bx).

Used daily by R&D, quality, and sourcing teams, Brix is an essential parameter for characterizing fruit raw materials, monitoring their consistency, and ensuring the consistency of finished products.

Often associated solely with sugar content, degrees Brix actually measure the concentration of soluble solids present in a product. This distinction is important because its interpretation depends heavily on the natural composition of the fruit analyzed.

For certain fruits such as mango, grapes, or oranges, Brix is closely related to the natural sugar content and is a relevant indicator of maturity and taste quality. However, for fruits with more specific nutritional profiles, such asacai, Brix should be interpreted with greater caution and supplemented by other analytical criteria.

Understanding what Brix actually measures enables buyers and manufacturers to better compare raw materials, assess the quality of fruit purée, and select the ingredients best suited to their applications.

What is degrees Brix?

The degrees Brix (°Bx) is a unit of measurement indicating the concentration of soluble solids present in a solution, expressed as a percentage by mass.

Historically developed for the sugar industry, Brix was initially used to measure the sucrose concentration of a solution. Today, this measurement is widely used in the food industry to monitor the quality of juices, purées, concentrates, syrups, and fruit preparations.

By definition:

1 °Brix corresponds to 1 gram of soluble solids per 100 grams of product.

In fruits and fruit derivatives, these soluble solids consist mainly of naturally occurring sugars:

• fructose
• glucose
• sucrose

They also include other compounds naturally dissolved in the fruit:

• organic acids
• certain minerals
• amino acids
• water-soluble vitamins 
• soluble aromatic and phenolic compounds

Thus, a product displaying 10 °Brix contains approximately 10 g of soluble solids per 100 g of product.

Therefore, this value does not strictly correspond to 10% sugar. It indicates an overall concentration of soluble components, of which sugars generally represent the majority fraction in many fruits, but not the entirety.

This nuance is essential for correctly interpreting a supplier's technical data sheet, particularly when dealing with fruit raw materials that have very different compositions.

Why is Brix important for food manufacturers?

In the food industry, Brix is above all a control and standardization tool.

When a manufacturer selects a fruit purée, concentrate, or ingredient intended for a new formulation, raw material consistency is a major concern. Significant variations in concentration can affect:

• the final taste of the product 
• aromatic intensity 
• texture 
• color
• industrial yield
• recipe stability

Brix can be used in particular to:

• check the conformity of received batches
• compare different raw materials
• monitor fruit ripeness before processing 
• standardize recipes from one production run to another 
• adjust formulations according to the desired concentration

For buyers and sourcing managers, Brix is therefore a valuable technical indicator when evaluating a supplier.

In the case of a açaí purée, this data can help compare several products available on the market. However, it must be analyzed in context, because açaí has a composition that differs greatly from fruits traditionally evaluated primarily according to their sugar content.

Is Brix solely an indicator of sugar?

This is one of the main misconceptions surrounding Brix.

In many fruits, an increase in Brix does indeed accompany ripening: as the fruit develops, starches gradually transform into sugars, generally resulting in an increase in the concentration of soluble solids.

However, Brix does not directly measure the overall quality of a fruit. It measures only the soluble fraction of its composition.

Two fruits can therefore have a similar Brix while having very different nutritional, aromatic, and functional profiles.

This distinction becomes particularly important when working with fruits that have specific functional properties, such as açaí.

Why must Brix be interpreted differently for açaí?

In orange juice or mango purée, an increase in Brix generally corresponds to an increase in the soluble sugars naturally present in the fruit.

For açaí, this relationship is different.

Because açaí is naturally lower in sugars than many tropical fruits, the value measured with a refractometer does not directly reflect the elements that make it distinctive.

A significant part of the fruit's composition consists of components that are not fully measured by soluble solids analysis, particularly certain lipids and fibers.

That is why, in the açaí industry, pulp is also evaluated using another essential indicator: total dry matter, also called total solids or dry extract.

These two analyses provide complementary information:

• Brix measures the soluble fraction of the product.
• Dry matter measures all the components present after the water has been removed.

For an industrial buyer, this distinction is essential for correctly comparing several supplier offers and selecting a raw material suited to its final application.

Brix/Dry matter... what are the differences?

Confusion between Brix and dry matter is common in the fruit industry.

Although these two parameters are related, they do not measure the same thing.

The Brix value

Brix measures only soluble solids in the product's liquid phase.

It mainly takes into account:

• soluble sugars 
• organic acids 
• certain minerals 
• other dissolved compounds

Total dry matter

Dry matter corresponds to all the components present in the product after the water has been removed.

It includes:

• sugars 
• fibers 
• lipids 
• proteins 
• minerals 
• the other non-volatile compounds naturally present in the fruit

In other words:

Dry matter represents the fruit's total concentration, whereas Brix represents only some of the components present.

This distinction is particularly important for açaí, because part of its nutritional and functional value is based on elements that are not fully reflected by the Brix value.

Why is dry matter an important indicator for açaí purées?

For açaí purée, the dry matter content is an essential indicator for assessing the product's actual concentration.

A higher dry matter content generally indicates a greater proportion of fruit-derived components and a more concentrated pulp.

This concentration influences several characteristics sought by manufacturers.

Greater flavor intensity

A more concentrated purée generally provides a more pronounced expression of the fruit in the final applications.

This is particularly important for products where açaí is the main ingredient, such as:

• açaí bowls 
• premium smoothies 
• sorbets 
• ice creams 
• fruit-based desserts

A richer texture

The dry matter content directly influences viscosity and mouthfeel.

In frozen or semi-thick applications, this parameter plays an important role in:

• final texture 
• stability 
• the product’s sense of richness

Improved industrial control

For manufacturers, knowing the actual concentration of a purée makes it possible to anticipate its behavior in a formulation and adjust recipes according to the desired result.

How are acai purées classified in Brazil?

Brazil, the world’s leading acai-producing country, has specific regulations regarding the identity and quality of açaí pulp.

The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA – Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock) sets standards for acai-derived products, particularly according to their total solids.

Traditional classification distinguishes several commercial categories according to pulp concentration:

• Fine or popular acai : lower total solids concentration 
• Medium acai or standard: intermediate concentration 
• Intense or premium acai : higher total solids concentration

This classification is important for international buyers, as it helps distinguish the concentration levels available on the market.

Unlike certain fruit raw materials where Brix is the main comparison indicator, the acai industry therefore relies more on dry matter to characterize pulp concentration.

What criteria should be analyzed before buying acai purée?

Brix is a useful initial indicator, but it should always be included in a more comprehensive analysis of the raw material.

Several criteria should be examined when selecting an acai purée supplier.

Dry matter content

This is one of the first parameters used to assess the actual concentration of the pulp and compare different grades of acai.

Nutritional composition

Analyzing the nutritional profile provides a better understanding of the product’s richness: lipid, dietary fiber, sugar and protein content, among other naturally occurring compounds.

Physicochemical characteristics

Depending on the final application, other analyses may be necessary: pH, acidity, color, viscosity, stability after thawing, behavior during processing. 

Origin and traceability

The quality of acai purée also depends heavily on its origin and production method:

• harvesting region
• farming practices 
• collection conditions
• time between harvesting and processing
• cold chain management
• processing methods

For a fruit from the Amazon, these criteria are particularly important to ensure consistent quality, controlled food safety and a reliable supply chain!