The seasons are gone, nor are the men, women, and consumers of the past, and so let’s also say this: not even the fruit juices of the past. In the mid-1980s, from middle school to high school, I remember a classmate who every day never missed a snack lovingly prepared by his mother, a ham and cheese morsel and a succhino (the famous first fruit juice in a carton, with a catchy name that referenced one of the first subgenres of rock and roll). It’s hard to say whether it could be considered a healthier solution than my freshly baked strip of focaccia. Probably neither of us would pass the nutritional test with an A or F today, but by including other factors, such as the rest of our diet and physical activity, I’m sure we’d achieve a full pass. In any case, that fruit juice is no longer around today, even if it seems ready to make a comeback with a decisive revisitation of the recipe. Furthermore, beyond climate change and international trade, which have led to the availability and knowledge of new fruits, and beyond the evolution of consumers (at least some of them) who are increasingly conscious and seeking healthier products, that type of juice today could not be considered fruit juice under Italian and European regulations. Fortunately, the legislative framework has introduced important changes to force the transition to a production system that encourages adherence to healthier diets. In the fruit juice sector, Legislative Decree 20/14, implementing Directive 2012/12/EU, had already promulgated a ban on the addition of sugars to fruit juices, juices from concentrate, concentrates, water-extracted juices, or dehydrated juices, leaving the addition permitted only to nectars. Today, Legislative Decree 207/2025, implementing Directive 2024/1438/EU, known as the Breakfast Directive, introduced a new reduced-sugar category for juices, juices from concentrate, and concentrates, with a reduction of at least 30% of the naturally occurring sugars through one of the authorized processes, membrane filtration, or yeast fermentation, provided that they maintain all other essential physical, chemical, organoleptic, and nutritional characteristics of an average juice from the original fruit. This adds complexity to production processes that, seemingly simple and sometimes ignored by industry research programs because they are considered overly traditional and unattractive, actually reveal challenging technological aspects, as well as significant innovation prospects for globally growing markets, especially international ones. Of course, for 100% fruit juices and smoothies, innovation will need to focus on unconventional technologies, blends of exotic or under-recognized fruits, fruit and vegetables (a rapidly growing trend), the development and promotion of self-service vending machines, or more sustainable packaging. There’s more leeway for other fruit drinks, which allow for the selection of functional ingredients to create new sensory and nutritional experiences, especially for adult consumers.