We hope you're staying cheerful this fall đ! PIMSIE is committed to producing drinks good for your health, so we're deeply concerned about the recent discovery of PFAS in our water.
The PFAS Scandal in Belgian Tap Water
Belgium has been shaken by the revelation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tap water. These persistent and harmful chemicals can contaminate water, soil, and even the air, posing developmental problems, hormonal disorders, and increased cancer risks. PFAS is just the tip of the iceberg đĨē in a myriad of disruptive substances.
We understand the concern; we aim to inform you and help minimize your exposure to PFAS and other contaminants.
Dangers of Pesticides and Contaminants in Plastic Bottles
In addition to PFAS, plastic bottles may contain pesticides and other contaminants. When exposed to heat, light, or time, these substances can migrate into drinks, posing potential health risks.
How to Avoid PFAS and Contaminant Exposure
At PIMSIE, we're committed to transparency in our practices and providing superior-quality products. We remain vigilant about the impact of our choices on your health and the environment.
If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact us. Let's make informed choices for our well-being and the planet together.
Thank you for being part of the PIMSIE family.
See you soon, and take good care of yourself đ¤!
Perrine
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Why are the majority of mainstream juices of inferior quality?
Most of the juices available to us in our supermarkets are designed for mass distribution. These industrial juices are created to be sold at the most affordable prices and are addressed to a huge number of consumers.
If this method of production is lucrative đ¤ for manufacturers, they conveniently neglect to inform us that this kind of juice has NOTHING to do with our good freshly squeezed orange juice on Sunday mornings âšī¸.
These juices have undergone many treatments which lead to a more or less total loss of nutrients (concentration, pasteurization, High Pressure Processing, etc.). Find at the end of the article the large list of some of these processes.
They also contain added sugars, additives, artificial flavors, preservatives, colorings, some of which could be harmful to your long term health.
Ultra-processed juices were popular to meet the needs of the industrialization, but today, after years of highly processed food, we are looking for fresh, healthy foods. Nutrient-depleted juices no longer meet our new needs.
Why are none of the Juices from supermarkets fresh?
No supermarket can offer fresh juices that can only be kept for 4 days, as this represents a significant risk of loss for them đ°. This is why they pasteurize them, hot or cold, to keep them longer, at least 20 days, at most for several years.
â ALL the bottled juices sold in our supermarkets have been transformed to be preserved for a longer period of time, so they have ALL lost many vitamins during this process. NONE of them, except the one from the orange squeezer, are fresh!
I was contacted by Belgian brands, which finally retracted, and refused to trade with me because I refuse to pasteurize my juices.
Conclusion :
We are surrounded by juices that have lost their nutritional properties. The best juice is a fresh and/or cold pressed juice, without processing, preservation techniques or additives. But it is currently impossible to supply a fresh juice at supermarket level, because a fresh juice (cold-pressed) can only be stored for a maximum of 4 days.
I have been asked this question several times, which is why I am writing this article. Juices like the ones I propose via PIMSIE are not sold in supermarkets. If you want to improve your health, you will never find a juice in a supermarket that corresponds to the quality standards of PIMSIE.
ALL juices are transformed in our supermarkets!
Here is a list of the transformations commonly undergone by industrial juices, before arriving in our supermarkets:
Grinding: grinding fruits and vegetables to extract the juice. This method damages the nutrients, which affects the quality and nutritional value of the juice.
Centrifugation: separation of the components of the juice using centrifugal force (juice, pulp and skin). The heat generated by friction damages nutrients and antioxidants.
Sterilization: Heat treatment to kill microorganisms and extend shelf life, damages nutrients and antioxidants.
Pasteurization: heating at high temperatures to kill bacteria and prolong shelf life. However, this method spoils the natural nutrients and flavors.
The HPP (High Pressure Processing) method: subjecting the product to high pressures to kill microorganisms and extend shelf life. However, this method damages natural nutrients and flavors.
Addition of preservatives: to prevent or slow the growth of microorganisms, but which cause the food to spoil.
The addition of sugar, flavorings and/or vitamins B, C and E: to improve taste, and nutritional value, but which are not worth the natural nutrients present in fresh fruits and vegetables.
The addition of colorants: addition of colorants to improve the appearance, but which can be dangerous for health.
De-acidification: reduction of the acidity level to improve taste and shelf life, but can alter the natural flavor of the juice.
Acidification: adding artificial acids (citric, ascorbic, or malic) to adjust the pH, and help preserve color and taste, but may alter the natural flavor of the juice.
Homogenization: mixing to evenly distribute pulp and skin particles, but can reduce the quality and nutritional value of the juice.
Filtration: removing suspended particles to improve appearance, but can also remove natural nutrients and flavors.
Ultrafiltration: high pressure filtration to remove suspended particles and impurities, damaging nutrients and antioxidants.
Discoloration: removal of pigments to improve appearance, but can also remove nutrients and antioxidants. Clarification: removing suspended particles to improve appearance, but can also remove natural nutrients and flavors.
Concentration: reduction of water content to facilitate storage and transport. Damages natural nutrients and flavors.
Dehydration: removal of water to concentrate nutrients and antioxidants, which damages heat-sensitive nutrients and antioxidants.
Reconstitution: reconstitution of juices from concentrates or dehydrated pulps to facilitate storage and transport. Damages natural nutrients and flavors.
Freeze-drying: vacuum dehydration process, damages heat-sensitive nutrients and antioxidants.
Homogenization: mixing to evenly distribute pulp and skin particles, damaging nutrients and antioxidants.
This list is not exhaustive, and each industrial juice can still undergo different transformations according to the methods used by the producers.
HOW DID THE JUICE SHOPS/JUICE BARS DISAPPEAR? WHAT'S WRONG?
If you like cold pressed juices and cleanses, you may have noticed that the market has taken a serious hit in Belgium!
Indeed, it seems that COVID has caused a lot of damage and has brought its own set of changes…
đą The fabulous Good Move team has converted into delicious micro-greens. We tasted them, they're worth the trip. Feel free to follow them: www.instagram.com/goodmovefood
đ Misuko no longer offers their Juices and Cleanses on their website and seems to be focusing on their Lalimo.
đ Pepins website and social networks are closed.
đ Yolojuice has also not been active on their networks since April.
And before that, Full of Good close since December 2019 and Upper organic's shop closed 5 years ago.
This is a huge transformation! Considering the fact that the cold-pressed juice market is very small in Belgium, and still very undeveloped, I must admit that it scared us a bit.
SO, WHO IS LEFT?
If we focus on the purely Brussels market, there are no more physical stores.
Jus Jus is based in Antwerp, Juicy and Jusré in the Gent region, Livup in Walloon Brabant, Paulette in the Liege region.
And... We are happy to announce that PIMSIE is now the most central, as our LAB' is located 2 minutes away from Brussels, where we already deliver to many customers, and we plan to multiply our relay points in 2023.
By the way, did you know that we are the only ones to offer you non-HPP* Juices in glass bottles?
IS THE COLD-PRESSED JUICE MARKET DEAD?
No, of course not, otherwise I would not have bet on it!
Every event, even serious like the recent pandemic, brings its share of novelties. The industry has adapted with world changes.
And, the remaining players are doing very well, as Belgians grew to be more concerned with their health, and unprocessed, fresh and organic producesfood.
THE GOOD NEWS!
PIMSIE opened after a year and a half of pandemic, and was born in the middle of changes in its sector! All these human, environmental, social changes allowed us to put as bases, solid values for a cold pressed Juice company that gives priority on:
đ Your future: raw, organic, ultra fresh, unprocessed juices (non-pasteurized, but also non-HPP*!), in glass bottles. To significantly improve your health!
đ The future of our planet: PIMSIE has chosen reusable packaging, just-in-time work, and recycled plant waste. Our Juices and Mylks are sold in glass bottles with deposit, which did not exist yet in Belgium.
đ For our chared future: Conscientious ethics: Our fruits and vegetables come from pesticide-free, sustainable, and 80% local farming. Citrus and almonds, which do not grow in Belgium, are European. Our ambition: to reduce the CO2 footprint as much as possible and buy directly from the farmers.
PIMSIE will remain an artisanal company, close to its customers, dedicated to honor its values, never intending to conquer the large-scale distribution.
... Because it's what we want for our future!
Do not hesitate to discover our cold pressed Cleanses & Juices. Take advantage of a 10% discount on your first order with the code "HELLOYOU".
See you soon,
Perrine
* HPP (High Pressure Processing): High pressure treatment to extend the shelf life of food products from 20 to 45 days.
]]>By chance, at my gym where I was looking to improve my performance, a coach told me about Jusjus, the first cold-pressed juice company in Belgium that had just opened its shop.
The same day, I went to their website, I discovered that they offered cleanses, it was completely new! And I directly ordered my first three-day cleanse.
The evening I received my order, I was so excited, I was stomping around, and wow, I was not disappointed. What a beautiful presentation! And what colors!
The next day I started my cleanse, and, surprise, the tastes were amazing, and then, the feeling of well-being felt was a new and surprising experience. In short, I was hooked!
The years passed and the Juices became indispensable for me. I ended up juggling between my Jazzmax and cleanses at Jusjus, then others, Misuko,...
Later, I did a big burnout and I don't need to tell you the details. And I came to ask myself the question that everyone who's been through it knows: "What drives me in my life?" ".
It was a long process of reflection. Juices have been in my life for years. Was it possible to live on it? I learned about practices and techniques and analyzed the Belgian market and its growing interest in healthy food. I thought that maybe I could fit in there.
Come on, I am going!
Yes, BUT THEN, I do things differently than my "competitors"! If I open my Juicery, I want to improve on certain points: I don't want plastic, or preservation techniques (no HPP, no pasteurization), I want a beautiful and good product, even more ecological, even healthier, and more ethical.
So, here we are.
I'm inaugurating this blog today with the aim of taking you behind the scenes of PIMSIE. The website has been open for a year and a half, and I'd like to share with you thoughts that revolve around Juices, explain PIMSIE's choices and exchange information.
If you are a PIMSIE customer, I'm glad you're reading this and I hope you'll enjoy learning a bit more. If you landed here because you are interested in Cold Pressed Juices, " Welcome! ".
See you all soon!
Perrine