My diet:

Apple juice concentrate

No E-numberSweetenersOrigin: Plant
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Every diet

VeganYes

Apple juice concentrate is boiled apple juice.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoNo

Apple juice concentrate is fruit sugar.

Low-FODMAPNo

Apple juice is high in fructose and sorbitol, and the concentrate is that juice with less water.

The short answer
Apple juice concentrate is a vegan sweetener made by boiling apple juice down. It is not keto and it is not low-FODMAP, because apple juice is rich in fructose and sorbitol. It is gluten-free.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberNone
Comes fromPlant
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index41
Daily limitNot set
Also calledApple juice concentrate, Concentrated apple juice

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDANot evaluated as an additive
🇪🇺 European UnionNot evaluated as an additive
🇨🇦 Health CanadaNot evaluated as an additive
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Apple juice concentrate is a food ingredient, not an E-number. It is a sugar source. Calling it juice on the front of a box does not make the concentrate a whole apple.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

Presses make juice, then evaporators pull the water off. The concentrate is frozen or kept as a thick syrup. When a label lists it beside sugar, it is there to sweeten, not to add the crunch of an apple.

Where it comes from: Apple juice concentrate is apple juice with most of the water removed. Makers later add water back to sell juice, or they leave it thick to sweeten bars, sauces and drinks. The fruit's fiber does not come along.

Why it’s in food

  • Sweetens a fruit snack
  • Reconstitutes a juice
  • Glazes a meat
  • Feeds a gummy

Often found in

Juice boxesFruit snacksGummiesBarbecue sauceOatmeal cupsSmoothies

Also listed as: Apple juice concentrate, Concentrated apple juice, Apple juice

Health & gut impact

Fructose and sorbitolConcern

Apple juice is high in free fructose and in sorbitol. Concentrating it makes those FODMAPs denser. The whole apple, with fiber, is a different portion.

Monash FODMAP classification of apple juice

Fiber stayed in the pressConcern

The concentrate delivers the sugars of the juice without the pulp. A serving is closer to drinking juice than to eating the fruit.

Processing of apple juice concentrate

What can I use instead?

Dates

Ratio: A whole-fruit sweetener that still contains fiber

Best for: Bars and fillings

Fructose

Ratio: The sugar that makes apple juice taste so sweet, without the apple

Best for: Drinks

Related

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAdvantame E969Advantame (E969) is an extremely intense sweetener related to aspartame. Regulators approve it, and the amount in a food is tiny next to the daily limit. It does not carry aspartame's phenylalanine warning at normal use.Generally safeAgave syrup (Agave nectar)Agave syrup is a plant sweetener that is mostly fructose. It barely moves blood sugar, and it is still sugar: skip it on keto and in a low-FODMAP elimination.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safe

Common questions

Is apple juice concentrate the same as eating an apple?

No. The water and the fiber are gone. What remains is the sweet juice, thickened.

Is it gluten-free?

Yes. Apples are gluten-free. A cereal that uses the concentrate may still contain wheat.

Is Apple juice concentrate safe?

Use in moderation (52/100). Apple juice concentrate is a food ingredient, not an E-number. It is a sugar source. Calling it juice on the front of a box does not make the concentrate a whole apple.

Is Apple juice concentrate vegan?

Yes. Apple juice concentrate is boiled apple juice.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • Monash FODMAP classification of apple juice
  • Processing of apple juice concentrate