This study evaluated how the sensory perception of fresh and different types of processed juice changes according to the information received by 753 consumers. Fresh, pasteurized, commercially sterilized, frozen concentrated, fruit liquid concentrated, and powered drink mix orange juices were selected as the types of juice. Acceptance and check‐all‐that‐apply tests were carried out in three different conditions: (a) blind, (b) informed (juice processing characteristics, price, ingredients, and shelf‐life), and (c) given the information relative to each type of juice, although the samples tasted were identical and comprised a mix of fresh, sterilized, and powdered drink juices. Results showed that fresh juice was preferred in all tests (even in c, when the same juice mix was served for all samples) and that the acceptance of processed juices (mainly pasteurized, sterilized, and frozen concentrated) was higher in the informed tests. Moreover, the third test (serving the same juice mix) clearly showed how positive–negative information can change the consumer perception about the product. These results highlight the need to improve consumers' access to information about juice processes, helping them to be more aware of processed food products. Practical Application Consumers' rejection regarding processed juices is growing due to associating them with processed food and adverse health effects. Results of this study show that consumers easily recognize and prefer fresh juice and consistently reject processed samples when no information about the products is given. On the other hand, information on processing characteristics, ingredients, durability, and price positively influenced consumer acceptance of processed juices, especially those produced only with oranges (without sugar, water, or additives), regardless of the form of processing. Therefore, the juice industry can use consumer access to information about product characteristics as a marketing strategy.

This article evaluates the perception of whether orange juice processing is different between lay and nonlay (people who studied or study food science/technology/engineering) consumers. It also assesses how it is influenced by the received information about the products. More than 1,000 lay and 340 nonlay consumers responded to blind and informed online questionnaires about fresh and processed orange juices.The results showed a consensual positive evaluation for fresh juice and negative for powdered drink mix in both questionnaires. Other categories of processed juices were evaluated as a little (concentrated) or very different ("processed," "pasteurized,"and "sterilized") among lay and nonlay consumers in blind questionnaires, where product aversion was more frequent among the lay participants. In contrast, information changed the participants' perception about processed juices (especially "pasteurized" and "sterilized" products), resulting in a more consensual evaluation among lay and nonlay participants. Therefore, access to correct information allows consumers (especially lay ones) to make more conscious choices about their juices. Practical ApplicationsConsumers' rejection regarding processed juices is growing due to associating them with processed food and adverse health effects. The comparison of the perception of lay and nonlay consumers about fresh and processed orange juices showed two practical applications: (a) the juice industry needs to improve consumers' access to information about product ingredients and process characteristics, aiming to improve product acceptance and (b) nonlay consumers have different perceptions of processed products than lay ones, therefore data collected from nonlay consumers (common in research carried out at universities) need to be used with caution.

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