Lychee Juice Concentrate
Bulk lychee juice concentrate for beverages, tea, mixology, dairy, frozen desserts, confectionery, bakery and specialty-food manufacturing, with conventional and organic sourcing options subject to current availability.
Delicate floral aroma with clean tropical sweetness.
Lychee or litchi (Litchi chinensis) is a tropical to subtropical fruit with a rough red outer rind surrounding translucent white flesh and a central seed. The edible aril is juicy, naturally sweet and known for its distinctive floral, rose-like and lightly tropical aroma.
Commercial cultivars include Brewster, Chen Purple and numerous Asian varieties such as Guiwei and Nuomici. Variety, maturity and growing origin influence sweetness, acidity, aroma intensity and juice yield.
Because fresh lychee is highly seasonal and its aroma is relatively delicate, industrial processing provides a practical way to use the fruit throughout the year. Concentration removes water and reduces transport volume while retaining soluble fruit solids and characteristic lychee flavor.
- Clarified concentrate commercially available around 65° Brix
- Cloudy or pulp-containing concentrate may be supplied around 30° Brix
- Characteristic sweet, floral and lightly tropical profile
- Color ranges from pale cream to light yellow or amber
- Frozen and aseptic commercial formats are available
- Organic availability depends on origin and supplier program
Clarified and cloudy lychee concentrates serve different applications.
Clarified Lychee Concentrate
Clarified concentrate is enzyme treated and filtered to remove most pulp, pectin and suspended material before concentration. Commercial grades around 65° Brix are well suited to beverages, syrups, confectionery and applications where low sediment is important.
Cloudy Lychee Concentrate
Cloudy concentrate retains more suspended fruit material and pulp. Current commercial examples around 30° Brix provide fuller fruit appearance and body for juices, smoothies, dairy, desserts and other products where cloud is acceptable.
Lychee Puree / Pulp
Lychee puree retains substantially more fruit tissue than juice concentrate. It is suitable for products where body and authentic fruit texture are more important than clarity or maximum concentration.
NFC Lychee Juice
Not-from-concentrate juice remains much closer to natural single-strength fruit solids. It requires more storage and transport volume but can be selected for applications specifically formulated around NFC juice.
Format note: A 65° Brix clarified concentrate and a 30° Brix cloudy concentrate should not be compared directly by price per pound. Their dilution, pulp content, sensory delivery and processing behavior are substantially different.
Typical clarified concentrate specifications.
Commercial clarified lychee concentrate should be sourced against a complete supplier specification. Variety, maturity and clarification process can influence aroma, acidity and finished-product performance even at the same Brix.
Soluble Solids / °Brix
A current clarified commercial specification lists 64–66° Brix by refractometer and approximately 64.1–66.3° corrected Brix. The purchasing specification should identify the required method and tolerance.
pH & Titratable Acidity
A representative 65° Brix clarified product specifies pH around 3.9–4.5 and acidity of approximately 0.2–1.6 g per 100 g expressed as anhydrous citric acid.
Clarity & Pectin
Clarified concentrate is processed to remove pulp and pectin that can contribute to sediment or haze. This makes it particularly useful in smooth beverages, syrups and other filtration-sensitive applications.
Flavor & Aroma
The concentrate should have clean, characteristic lychee flavor with floral and sweet-fruit notes and should be free from fermented, scorched, heavily cooked or oxidized character.
Color
Clarified lychee concentrate is normally relatively light compared with berry or tropical-orange concentrates. Excessive browning can indicate greater thermal exposure or deterioration during storage.
Microbiological Limits
One commercial specification limits total viable count to 1,000 CFU/g, yeast to 500 CFU/g and mold to 100 CFU/g. Acceptance criteria should always follow the contracted specification.
Specification note: These figures are representative commercial references, not universal lychee concentrate standards. Final formulation and purchasing should use the current supplier specification and lot-specific certificate of analysis.
Lower Brix with more natural fruit body.
Cloudy lychee concentrate is useful where a fuller juice appearance and more fruit body are desired. Representative commercial products specify acidity around 0.05–1.0%, measurable pulp, aseptic bag-in-drum packaging and approximately 24 months of unopened shelf life under specified frozen storage.
Where lychee juice concentrate is used.
Juices & Fruit Beverages
Lychee concentrate can provide a recognizable floral tropical profile in juices, nectars and mixed-fruit drinks. It pairs well with pear, white grape, apple, peach, mango, pineapple, passion fruit and citrus.
Sparkling Drinks & Sodas
Clarified concentrate is well suited to carbonated lychee drinks, premium sodas and sparkling fruit beverages because low pulp can reduce sediment and simplify carbonation and filling.
Iced Tea & Botanical Beverages
Lychee's floral aroma combines particularly well with green tea, jasmine tea, black tea and botanical infusions. Its delicate character can add fruit complexity without overwhelming the tea base.
Cocktails, Mocktails & Mixers
Lychee is widely recognized in premium mixology applications. Concentrate can be used in cocktail bases, mocktails, martini-style mixers, syrups and foodservice beverage systems.
Yogurt & Dairy Products
Lychee concentrate can flavor yogurt, drinking yogurt, cultured dairy and dairy desserts. Its comparatively delicate acidity can work well with milk-based profiles when pH and processing are properly controlled.
Plant-Based Dairy Alternatives
Lychee can be incorporated into coconut, oat, soy and other plant-based beverage or cultured systems. The complete formulation should be evaluated for protein stability and flavor balance.
Ice Cream & Sorbet
Lychee concentrate is suitable for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, frozen yogurt, fruit bars and frozen novelties. Its natural sugars should be included when setting sweetness and freezing behavior.
Confectionery & Gummies
Gummies, jellies, chews, hard candy and filled confectionery can use lychee concentrate for distinctive floral fruit flavor and fruit-derived soluble solids.
Bakery & Desserts
Lychee concentrate can be used in pastry fillings, glazes, cakes, mousse systems, dessert sauces and Asian-inspired bakery products. Delicate aroma should be evaluated after baking or other thermal processing.
Jams, Jellies & Fruit Preparations
Fruit spreads, jellies, dairy preparations and dessert inclusions can use lychee concentrate to strengthen flavor while puree or fruit pieces provide additional texture where required.
Syrups & Foodservice Bases
Lychee concentrate can serve as a fruit component in beverage syrups, bubble-tea bases, dessert toppings and foodservice concentrates where controlled dilution and repeatable flavor are important.
Brewing & Fermentation
Lychee concentrate can supply fermentable fruit sugars and aroma to beer, mead, kombucha, hard seltzer and fruit-wine-style beverages. Fermentation can significantly alter floral aroma, so addition timing should be tested at pilot scale.
Protect lychee's delicate floral character.
Manage Heat Exposure
Lychee aroma is relatively delicate, and severe thermal sterilization can create more cooked sensory notes. Use the minimum validated thermal treatment appropriate to the product and evaluate flavor after the complete commercial process.
Control Browning
Lychee juice can darken during processing and storage. Research on thermally processed juice shows that more severe heating can noticeably alter color, making heat history important in light-colored applications.
Choose the Correct Cloud Level
Clarified concentrate is appropriate for clean, low-sediment beverages, while cloudy concentrate provides greater body. Cloud and pulp should be selected according to the finished product rather than treated as interchangeable grades.
Limit Oxygen Exposure
Unnecessary aeration can reduce fresh fruit aroma during mixing and storage. Controlled transfer, appropriate headspace and suitable packaging can help preserve delicate lychee character.
Lychee is generally used for aroma and fruit identity rather than intense acidity or dark color. Blending with neutral fruits such as pear or white grape can add solids while maintaining lychee character, while citrus or passion fruit can increase freshness and acidity.
Specify clarification, Brix and aroma requirements.
Commercial lychee concentrates vary significantly in concentration and pulp content. A clarified 65° Brix ingredient and cloudy 30° Brix product can have very different cost-in-use, dilution and processing behavior.
Information to include in a sourcing request
- Clarified, cloudy, puree or NFC lychee format
- Target Brix or existing technical specification
- Required pulp, turbidity or clarity level
- Critical pH or acidity requirements
- Desired floral aroma and sensory intensity
- Conventional or certified organic requirement
- Preferred origin or cultivar if relevant
- Initial sample or production-trial quantity
- Commercial order size and estimated annual volume
- Frozen, refrigerated or aseptic preference
- Preferred packaging format
- Required certifications and quality documentation
- Delivery destination and requested timing
Commercial note: Lychee has a concentrated seasonal harvest in major producing regions, and its delicate fresh fruit is highly perishable. Processed inventory, origin and production season can therefore affect commercial availability and lead time. Confirm current stock and crop program when quoting.
Match pack format to product concentration and plant handling.
Clarified Frozen Concentrate
High-Brix clarified lychee concentrate can be supplied frozen in commercial containers such as jerrycans, pails or drums depending on supplier program. Maintain the stated frozen temperature until the material is prepared for production.
Aseptic Drum Supply
Cloudy lychee concentrate and puree-style products are commonly available in aseptic bags inside steel drums. Representative commercial products use frozen storage even when packed aseptically.
Frozen Storage
Current commercial programs commonly specify storage at approximately -18°C or below. This helps limit quality deterioration and supports year-round use beyond the short fresh-fruit harvest season.
Shelf Life
Representative frozen lychee concentrate programs specify approximately 24 months of unopened shelf life. Actual shelf life depends on concentration, package and supplier process and should always be taken from the product specification.
Approve aroma and analytical quality together.
Certificate of Analysis
Review each lot against the agreed specification for Brix, pH, acidity and microbiological criteria together with any required clarity, pulp or other product-specific parameters.
Sensory Approval
Lychee's commercial value depends heavily on its distinctive aroma. Where the flavor is central to the finished product, maintain an approved sensory reference or clearly defined acceptance standard.
Origin & Traceability
Request country of origin, lot traceability and processor information where required. Origin and cultivar may affect flavor, seasonality and commercial availability.
Organic & Other Certifications
For organic projects, confirm current certification for the exact product and processing facility. Kosher, Halal, GMO-status, allergen and recognized food-safety documentation may also be requested where relevant.
See how ingredient format affects formulation.
Sauces & Glazes
Using Juice Concentrates in Sauces & Glazes: Formulation Guide
Juice ConcentratesOatmeal & Hot Cereals
Oatmeal & Hot Cereals with Juice Concentrates: Sourcing & Process Considerations
Juice ConcentratesNutrition Products
Using Juice Concentrates in Nutrition Products: Formulation Guide
Questions lychee concentrate buyers often ask
What is lychee juice concentrate?
Lychee juice concentrate is produced from ripe Litchi chinensis fruit by extracting the juice and removing part of its water. It provides concentrated floral lychee flavor and soluble fruit solids for commercial formulation.
What Brix is commercial lychee juice concentrate?
Clarified lychee concentrate is commercially available around 65° Brix, commonly about 64–66°. Cloudy or pulp-containing concentrate is also available at lower concentration, with current commercial examples around 30 ±2° Brix.
What pH is typical?
A representative clarified 65° Brix specification uses approximately pH 3.9–4.5. Cloudy commercial grades can have a broader range, approximately pH 3.5–5.8 depending on product and processor.
What is the difference between clarified and cloudy lychee concentrate?
Clarified concentrate has most pulp and pectin removed and can reach about 65° Brix. Cloudy concentrate retains more suspended fruit material and is commonly supplied at lower Brix, such as approximately 30°.
What is the single-strength reference for clarified lychee juice?
A representative commercial clarified specification uses approximately 12° Brix as the single-strength reference. Use the actual supplier specification when calculating dilution or juice equivalent.
What is bulk lychee juice concentrate used for?
Applications include juices, sparkling beverages, iced tea, cocktails, mocktails, yogurt, plant-based products, ice cream, sorbet, gummies, confectionery, bakery, fruit preparations, syrups and fermented beverages.
Is organic lychee juice concentrate available?
Organic lychee ingredients may be available depending on crop, origin and processor. Confirm the exact format and request current organic certification for the product being offered.
What should I include in a quote request?
Specify clarified or cloudy format, target Brix, pulp or clarity requirement, quantity, annual volume, organic or conventional status, preferred origin, packaging, storage capability, destination, certifications and delivery timing.