A puree can pass a recipe trial and still create problems in production if the commercial lot differs from the sample. Beverage manufacturers need more than a list of typical figures: they need a written agreement on which attributes matter, what variation is acceptable and how each lot will be checked.

This guide focuses on approving a fruit puree specification for beverage use. Once the technical team knows what works in the drink, purchasing can compare the offered product with that reference. BR Global Trade’s frozen fruit puree and pulp range is a starting point for checking available products; confirm the specification for the selected puree and processing partner.

Start with the Puree Used in the Trial

Record the fruit or variety, product name, ingredient declaration and processing format shown on the trial sample. “Puree,” “pulp” and “concentrate” may describe different products, so do not approve a substitute by name alone. Note the sample’s batch identity and the version of its technical document.

Ask the formulation team what made the sample acceptable. Was it flavour, colour, thickness, pulp level or performance at a particular dosing rate? These observations help turn a successful trial into acceptance criteria for the commercial order. If a different origin, facility or formulation is proposed, assess whether a new trial is needed.

Build an Acceptance Specification

The following fields are prompts, not universal limits. Agree values or ranges for the fruit and intended beverage, and state the test method where differences in measurement could matter.

Specification field	What the buyer should agree and verify
Identity and ingredients	Fruit or variety, puree format, declared ingredients and any permitted additives or substitutions. Compare the offered document with the approved trial.
Soluble solids and acidity	Target °Brix, pH and/or titratable acidity where relevant; acceptable ranges, units and test methods. Check the lot document against the agreement.
Texture and appearance	Viscosity or consistency, fibre or pulp, particle size, colour, flavour and any visible defects that matter to the drink. Agree a practical evaluation method.
Quality and traceability	Agreed microbiological or other quality criteria, lot identification and which results will appear on the certificate of analysis (CoA).
Pack and handling	Pack size and type, label identification, documented storage conditions, shelf life and minimum remaining shelf life at receipt.

Do not copy numbers from a different fruit, product page or processor. If a field is descriptive rather than an acceptance limit, label it as such. This prevents a buyer and supplier from treating the same figure differently when a lot is reviewed.

Make Brix and Acidity Useful to the Formulator

Brix indicates soluble solids; it does not, by itself, describe perceived sweetness, fruit flavour or mouthfeel. Ask for the offered puree’s value or range and specify how much variation the formulation can tolerate. A change in °Brix may affect the amount used in the recipe, but a trial should decide whether it is acceptable.

pH and titratable acidity measure different aspects of acidity. Confirm which figure the processor reports, the method or unit used and whether the beverage team needs both. Acidity can affect flavour balance and processing decisions; the manufacturer must assess the safety and process needs of its finished beverage separately.

Agree How Texture and Appearance Will Be Judged

Two lots with similar Brix and pH can still behave differently on a line. A smoothie may depend on body and visible fruit character; a drink passing through a narrow filling system may have tighter particle-size or consistency needs. Ask production and quality teams to identify the attributes that caused difficulties or gave a good result during the trial.

When relevant, agree a measurable viscosity range and measurement conditions, or retain an approved reference sample for a documented sensory comparison. State how much fibre, seed material or settling is acceptable for the intended beverage. Terms such as “smooth” and “premium” are too open to interpretation if they are the only acceptance criteria.

Connect the Trial Sample to Commercial Lots

Ask whether the commercial offer comes from the same product specification and processing partner as the approved sample. Record any difference before placing the order. A CoA can show reported results for the parameters it covers; it cannot verify a characteristic that was never tested or listed.

Set a clear review point: the buyer receives the current specification and available sample information, approves the proposed product, then agrees which lot documents must accompany shipment. If a result falls outside an agreed limit, the parties should use the purchase agreement’s review process before treating the lot as accepted. This is particularly useful for repeat orders, when an old sample can otherwise remain the informal reference long after the product has changed.

Confirm Pack and Storage Against the Approved Product

Packaging can affect sampling, dispensing and shelf-life planning. Confirm the available pack configuration, unit identification, unopened storage instructions, any directions after opening and the remaining shelf life required on arrival. “Aseptic” or “frozen” alone is not a complete handling instruction. The buyer’s warehouse and line should be able to use the actual pack offered.

Keep these details in the same approved product record as the technical limits. If a pack change is proposed for a later shipment, check it with operations and quality before accepting it as a purchasing adjustment.

Send an RFQ That Refers to the Approved Specification

Once the technical criteria are set, send BR Global Trade the fruit and format, intended application, target ranges, pack, quantity, destination port, preferred Incoterm and delivery period. Identify which requirements are firm. Ask for the current product specification, available sample, CoA scope and any required certificates or laboratory reports for the selected facility and destination.

BR Global Trade can check availability and specification matching with its processing partners and respond against that defined requirement. A proposed alternative should be identified clearly so the beverage team can decide whether it needs another trial.

Conclusion

A useful fruit puree specification links the approved beverage trial to a verifiable commercial lot. Agree the identity, technical limits, texture, documents and handling details that matter to your drink. Then request a quotation from BR Global Trade against that approved specification and ask its team to identify any proposed difference before the order is placed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is Brix enough to approve fruit puree for a drink?

A: No. Depending on the formulation, the buyer may also need acidity, texture, fibre, colour, flavour and ingredient details, supported by a trial and agreed product documents.

Q: What should be checked when a trial sample differs from the offered lot?

A: Compare product identity, facility, ingredients, technical results, pack and processing format with the approved reference. Have formulation and quality teams assess a material difference before purchasing approves it.

Q: Does a CoA prove every requirement has been met?

A: Only for the parameters and lot information it actually reports. List the documents and results required for acceptance in the purchase agreement.