CITRUS
These plants are large shrubs or small to moderate-sized trees, reaching 5–15 m (16–49 ft) tall, with spiny shoots and alternately arranged evergreen leaves with an entire margin. The flowers are solitary or in small corymbs, each flower 2–4 cm (0.79–1.57 in) diameter, with five (rarely four) white petals and numerous stamens; they are often very strongly scented, due to the presence of essential oil glands.
The fruit is a hesperidium, a specialized berry, globose to elongated, 4–30 cm (1.6–11.8 in) long and 4–20 cm (1.6–7.9 in) diameter, with a leathery rind or “peel” called a pericarp. The outermost layer of the pericarp is an “exocarp” called the flavedo, commonly referred to as the zest. The middle layer of the pericarp is the mesocarp, which in citrus fruits consists of the white, spongy “albedo”, or “pith”. The innermost layer of the pericarp is the endocarp. The space inside each segment is a locule filled with juice vesicles, or “pulp”. From the endocarp, string-like “hairs” extend into the locules, which provide nourishment to the fruit as it develops. Citrus cultivars have been developed to be seedless and easy to peel.
Citrus fruits are notable for their fragrance, partly due to flavonoids and limonoids (which in turn are terpenes) contained in the rind, and most are juice-laden. The juice contains a high quantity of citric acid and other organic acids giving them their characteristic sharp flavor. The genus is commercially important as many species are cultivated for their fruit, which is eaten fresh, pressed for juice, or preserved marmalades and pickles.
They are also good sources of vitamin C. The content of vitamin C in the fruit depends on the species, variety, and mode of cultivation.
Blood orange
| Name | Amount | Unit | ||
| Energy | 45 | kcal | ||
| Protein | 0.65 | g | ||
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.42 | g | ||
| Carbohydrate | 9.74 | g | ||
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.9 | g | ||
| Sugars | 9.09 | g | ||
| Calcium, Ca | 26 | mg | ||
| Iron, Fe | 0.19 | mg | ||
| Potassium, K | 169 | mg |
Blood orange is a variety of orange with crimson, near blood-colored flesh. The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanins, a family of polyphenol pigments common to many flowers and fruit, but uncommon in citrus fruits. Chrysanthemum is the main compound found in red oranges.
Mandarin orange
Mandarin oranges, sometimes simply called mandarins, are some of the sweetest fruits of the orange family. They’re slightly smaller relatives of the standard orange. Native to Asia, China is the world’s biggest producer. In the United States, mandarins are mostly grown in California, where citrus trees thrive in the warm sunshine. While mandarins are commonly eaten as snacks because they’re easy to peel (some are virtually seedless), they’re a popular citrus ingredient for desserts, seafood appetizers, and savory recipes, as well as adult beverages.
Mandarin oranges can easily be peeled and separated into segments. Beyond enjoying them as a snack, the segments can also be used on top of salads or as the base for desserts. They’re also very juicy. The juice is often used in salad dressings and sauces for vegetable and meat dishes, as well as in desserts.
