Farmers pull fruit samples from the trees in order to check the fruit's color and sugar level. Texas Oranges have a yellowish color when they are ready to be picked while Texas Grapefruit has an orange color that can include a pinkish blush on the peel. At the packing house, fruits are unloaded and the leaves and other debris are taken out. Any fruit that does not pass inspection goes directly to a juice plant. From there it is squeezed by machines to release the juice.
Washing removes dirt and enhances the appearance.
Since the natural wax is stripped off during this process, the fruit is given a layer of safe wax to help prolong the taste and life of the fruit. Any fruit that is scarred or mishapen is also sent to the juice plant. Then it is sent along a special conveyor belt called an Optical Sorter . This machine takes pictures and maps out the surface of the fruit in order to distinguish it's size. Once its sized, the machine drops the fruit into wooden bins below.