Fruit

FruitFruit provides a ready source of energy because it is rich in sugar (fructose), minerals and vitamins. It is also a good source of dietary fibre, both in the edible skin and in the water-soluble fibre called pectin found in certain fruits such as apples and quinces. Almost all fruit has a low calorie count.

Quality points to look for before purchasing fruit and how to store fruit• Fruit should look fresh and appetising, it should

be plump and firm, this is a sign of good moisture content. It should not have any bruising or wrinkles

• Soft fruits, such as berries, should look dry on the outside and full. Avoid those with signs of mould or moisture, including any leakage in the packaging

• Whether the fruit skins are edible or inedible, always make sure that they are not bruised, split or broken or have signs of insect damage

Quality points to look for before purchasing fruit and how to store fruit

• Aroma is a good indication of ripeness. Fruit, such as melon, should smell fragrant. Although they will keep quite well for a week or so, they will not ripen if bought under ripe

• Hard fruit such as apples and pears, as long as they are purchased unblemished, will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator

• Any fruit stored at room temperature will ripen and deteriorate quicker than if stored in a cool place, because the water content gradually evaporates and with it the sweet moisture within the fruit. Some fruits are best purchased for immediate use

Quality points to look for before purchasing fruit and how to store fruit continued

• All the soft berry fruits come into this category. All fruits should be carefully washed before cooking and eating

• Fruit should be consistent in size and shape and have good vibrant colour

• Another quality point is flavour, Fruit should have a strong flavour. For instance strawberries should have a strong strawberry flavour, those that do not have good taste are either under ripe or of poor quality

Citrus FruitCitrus fruit will keep well for a couple of weeks if necessary, but the skins will begin to toughen, dry out and wrinkle and they will lose some of their essential oils which help flavour many desserts. If the citrus fruit is purchased for its zest, then it must be used within a couple of days. Pineapples and melons are best eaten just chilled at 5°C; however, this causes a slight problem in storage because their scent is so penetrating that they must be well wrapped, or they will pass on their flavours to other refrigerated foods stored nearby.

Fruit and their Seasonal Availability

It is important that we should recognize seasonality as much as possible and buy our commodities according to seasonal availability. If a fruit is available throughout the year it is generally recognized that it is purchased overseas.

Fruit and their Seasonal Availability

Purchasing fruit within season and sourcing it locally will help to ensure freshness because the storage time before purchase has been minimal. The travelling expense and carbon footprint is kept to minimum because it is locally grown, which might also help lower the price of the fruit. The list below is a general guide to the seasonal availability of fruit.

Preserving and Storing fruit• Quick freezing Strawberries, raspberries, loganberries,

apples, blackberries, gooseberries, grapefruit and plums are frozen and must be kept below zero and preferably at −18°C

• Cold storage Apples are stored at temperatures between 1 and 4°C, depending on the variety of apple. This suppresses the ripening of the fruit

• Gas storage Fruit can be kept in a sealed storage room where the atmosphere is controlled. The amount of air is limited, the oxygen content of the air is decreased and the carbon dioxide increased which controls the respiration rate of the fruit and preserves it for longer

The preservation of fruit• Drying Apples, pears, apricots, peaches,

bananas and figs can be dried. Plums when dried are called prunes, and currants, sultanas and raisins are produced by drying grapes. Also, fruit crisps can be produced by macerating thinly sliced fruits such as pineapple for a few minutes and then drying out in a low-heated oven.

• Canning Almost all fruits may be canned. Apples are packed in water and known as ‘solid packed apples’. Other fruits are canned in light syrup.

The preservation of fruit continued

• Bottling This is used domestically, but very little fruit is commercially preserved in this way. Cherries are bottled in maraschino liqueur

1. Pros of Bottling fruit;

2. Increases the shelf life significantly

3. Cost effective- reduces waste

4. Enhances the flavour or colour of the fruit

5. A way of adding flavours into the fruit(alcohol or spices)

• Candied Orange and lemon peels are candied. Other fruits with a strong flavour, such as pineapple, are preserved in this way. The fruit is covered in hot syrup, which is increased in sugar content from day to day until the fruit is saturated in very heavy syrup. It is then allowed to dry slowly until it is no longer sticky and moist

Other forms of preserving fruit• Glacé - The fruit is first candied and then

dipped in fresh syrup to give a clear finish. This method is applied to cherries

• Crystallized - After the fruit has been candied it is left in fresh syrup for 24 hours and then allowed to dry very slowly until crystals form on the surface of the fruit

• Jam - Some stone and all soft fruits can be used to make jam. The fruits are boiled with sugar and pectin may be added to help set the mixture

• Jelly - Jellies are produced from fruit juice and can be set with either gelatine or pectin