ORLANDO - Wallace R. Roy, a biochemist who helped develop frozen orange juice concentrate and two Coca-Cola drinks, died Monday in his hometown of Orlando, family members said. He was 97.
Roy retired in 1970 as a vice president of technical services for Minute Maid Co. but continued working as a consultant.
Roy was the chief chemist for the Florida Foods Inc. plant in Plymouth in 1946. The company, part of National Research Corp., produced orange juice concentrate with a vacuum technique used during World War II to dehydrate penicillin and food for the military.
The company changed its name to Minute Maid Corp. in 1947, and Roy was made a vice president. Coca-Cola bought Minute Maid in 1960, and Roy later helped develop Fresca and Fanta, said Roy's daughter, Patricia R. Edwards.
