Will refrigeration keep apple juice from spoiling?

Refrigeration will slow down spoilage, but it won’t kill the bacteria that form after a time.  Eventually, bacteria attack the natural sugars present in the juice, causing the juice to ferment. The vitamin C that is naturally in the apple juice will break down as well.  Since vitamin C is an antioxidant and helps the product keep its color, after the expiration date, there is a gradual loss of taste, quality, color, and nutrition, although there is no danger to the consumer.  The same  holds true for most other fruit juices.
 
Source(s):
Newton BBS, U.S. Dept. of Energy and Argonne National Laboratory.
Newton.dep.anl.gov/askascxi/gen)1908.htm, “Aging Orange Juice”
Complete Food and Nutrition Guide by Roberta Lawson Duyff, 2006.