After reading this essay you will learn about:- 1. Meaning of Fruits 2. Classification of Fruits 3. Properties.
Essay on the Meaning of Fruits:
In botanical terms, a fruit is the ripened ovary of a flowering plant. A fruit usually contains the seeds of the plant which bears it. A number of fruits are also termed as vegetables by some, as there is no single terminology that can accurately fit the variety that can be found amongst plant fruit. Fruits can be broadly segregated on their composition, nutritional value, shape, and flavour.
They could be sweet or sour, depending on the variety. Some are fleshy, some are dry, and some are heavy. Fruits get dispersed by falling and rolling away from the parent plant. Grains and nuts also form part of the species, as they are ripened ovaries too. Fruits act as vital means of pollination for plants and hence, help in effective dispersion of pollen and for reproduction.
It is to be noted that as per culinary terminology, a fruit is defined as a product that has a sweet taste. Fruits generally contain water soluble vitamins such as vitamins B and C. They also have generous amount of antioxidants present in them. It is for this reason that fruits discolour once cut, as the exposure to oxygen instigates chemical reaction with the antioxidants. Examples of such fruits are apple, guava, mango, grapes, etc.
Some fruits, known as ‘pseudo carp’, are accessory fruits, for example, figs. They are not the ripened ovary, but are attached to the plant embryo. Certain fruits are produced without the fusion of the ovary and the embryo. They are artificially produced by a method called ‘parthenocarpy’, in which pollination is omitted. These fruits are seedless. Plants which are non-fruit producing are known as ‘acarpous’. Fruits are widely used in various ways such as cooked, raw, canned, pureed and squashed.
Essay on the Classification of Fruits:
On Basis of Texture and Flavour:
Fruits are classified on the basis of their appearance and another way of segregating them is on the basis of their texture and flavour.
Broadly they will be classified into:
i. Soft fruits – Papaya, banana, melons, etc.
ii. Stone fruits – Peaches, nectarines, mango, etc.
iii. Apple and pear family – All apples and pears
iv. Citrus fruits – Oranges, sweet lime, annanas, etc.
On Basis of Appearance and Flesh Content:
Fruits can also be classified on the basis of appearance and flesh content.
A. Fleshy Fruits:
These are fruits which have supple flesh around the seed. They can be subdivided again into those formed from a single flower and those formed from a group of flowers. Those formed from a single flower are classified as berry, drupe, aggregation of drupes, pomme and hesperidium. Fruits which grow from a group of flowers and generate only a single seed are sorosis (for example, mulberry), synconium (for example, fig), and coenocarpium (for example, pineapple).
These are further subdivided into the following:
Berry:
They are single fleshy fruits without stone, and they have a lot of seeds.
For example, banana, kiwi, tomato, passion fruit, and pepper.
Drupe:
They are single fleshy fruits with hard stones and single seeds.
For example, cherry, apricot, plum, and peach.
Aggregation of Drupes:
They are fleshy fruits, which have a collection of drupes formed out of the single flower, containing seed in each drupe.
For example, raspberry, loganberry, and blackberry.
Pomme:
These fleshy fruits have a thin skin, and are not formed from the ovary but from another part of the plant. Also known as accessory fruits, they contain seeds in a chamber around the centre.
For example, apple, pear, and quince.
Hesperidium:
It is a single fleshy fruit, which is a berry with a tough aromatic rind. All the fruits belonging to the citrus family lie in this category.
For example, orange, lemon, grapefruit, and kumquat.
B. Dry Fruits:
They are divided into dehiscent (in these fruits seeds are contained in a seedpod of some sort which opens to release the seeds) and indehiscent fruits (they do not have seedpod which opens). Dry dehiscent fruits are follicle, legume, silique, and capsule, whereas dry indehiscent fruits are achene, nut, samara, and caryopsis.
Essay on the Properties of Fruits:
Let us discuss the properties of a few fruits.
1. Apple:
French: Pomme
Hindi: Saeb
It is a sweet, astringent fruit. When we refer to fruits or vegetables being astringent, it means the dry, puckering taste caused by tannins found in many fruits. Consumption of apples tends to relieve diarrhoea. The skin of apple is a very good source of vitamin A and is rich in calcium.
The vitamin content is five times more in the skin than the flesh and gradually decreases towards the centre of the fruit. The seeds of an apple can cause food poisoning and should never be consumed in large quantities.
Apple in India comes from Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh and is usually a fruit of winter. There are many varieties of apples found in India such as delicious, American, golden delicious, maharaja, and crimson. Small plum size apples are known as crab apples.
How to Select:
An apple should be firm to touch and should be free of scars and blemishes. The redness of the apple does not indicate the sweetness of the apple as certain apples are astringent naturally. A shiny skin depicts a fresh apple.
How to Store:
Apples should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C, in a perforated basket so that there is lots of room for it to breathe. It can be stored fresh up to 10 to 12 days, after which the apple’s skin will start to wilt.
2. Banana:
French: Banana
Hindi: Kela
It is a sweet and astringent fruit. The ripe fruit relieves diarrhoea, whereas the unripe fruit relieves constipation. It is a high caloric content food with less content of water. The fresh fruit taken along with milk is almost a complete balanced diet. Bananas are often confused with ‘plantains’. Plantains are very starchy and are used in savoury dishes in African and Moroccan food.
Many varieties of bananas are available in India ranging from small bananas to large red bananas found in Kerala. Banana flower is also cooked as a vegetable and its leaves are used as plates for eating in south India and in some parts of West Bengal. Raw bananas are used as bindings for kebabs and overripe bananas are used for banana bread.
How to Select:
Bananas should be firm to touch with an even golden colour. Few black blemishes are natural; but it should not be pulpy when pressed. The dark colour of the skin indicates the ripeness of the banana.
How to Store:
Bananas should be stored at room temperature with controlled humidity levels. Never store bananas in a refrigerator as the skin would turn black and look unappealing.
3. Cherry:
French: Cerise
Hindi: Glass
It is a sweet, sour, and astringent fruit. It cleanses the system and is good for dental problems. It is useful in curing insomnia or lack of sleep. Cherries are summer fruits grown in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh in India. There are many varieties of cherries available around the world. Morello, Californian, and maraschino are the most famous varieties.
Morello is the traditional cherry used in black forest gateaux from Germany, whereas maraschino is widely used for production of cherry liquor Californian cherries are used for consumption as fruits as these are very sweet and black in colour
How to Select:
Cherries should be firm to touch with an even red to maroon colour. The stem attached to the cherry determines the freshness of the same. The bright green colour of the stem indicates freshness. Pulpy cherries are prone to insects.
How to Store:
Cherries should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Cherries are perishable and should be used within three to four days of purchase.
4. Fig:
French: Fig
Hindi: Anjeer
It is a sweet, cooling, nourishing, and heavy fruit. It is a good laxative. It is a good source of calcium, iron, and potassium and has antibacterial properties. Figs are eaten fresh as well as dried. Fresh figs are highly perishable and form a perfect accompaniment with cold meats. Stewed figs in red wine are also used to accompany roasted or grilled meats. Dried figs are available in the market, pressed into a disc and sewn on a jute string.
How to Select:
Fresh figs should be light green with purplish streaks. They should be firm yet soft to touch. A hard fig would denote a raw fig.
How to Store:
Figs are very delicate. So they should be stored individually like eggs, refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Do not pile figs on top of each other as they would spoil. Figs should be consumed within a day or two of purchase.
5. Grape:
French: Raisin
Hindi: Angoor
Grape is a sweet, cooling, strengthening, and nutritious fruit. It relieves thirst and burning sensations in the stomach and is believed to be a good cure for fevers. A laxative fruit rich in vitamin B, it helps stop bleeding in gums and removes bitter tastes from the mouth.
Grapes are cultivated around the world and are the main ingredient in production of wine. They are available in various colours ranging from green, red to black. Large Californian grapes are widely used on buffets as the large plum-sized grapes look very attractive on the displays. Dried grapes are known as raisins.
How to Select:
A bunch of grapes should be compact and heavy for its size. Grapes should be firm to touch and should have a bright colour. As grapes are always received in bunches, check for loose grapes as the shelf life of these grapes will be very less and check for insects inside the cluster.
How to Store:
Grapes should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Grapes are perishable and should be used within three to four days of purchase.
6. Gooseberry:
French: Physalis
Hindi: Ras Bhari
It is a sweet and astringent fruit and resembles cherry tomatoes. It is sour and pungent when unripe but tastes very aromatic when ripe. It is useful in curing diarrhoea and bleeding piles. It is widely used in curing of diabetes as well. Also known as Cape gooseberry, it is commonly used to make fruit compotes and sauces. Ripe gooseberries also are used as petit fours by dipping these in chocolate.
How to Select:
Gooseberries should always be purchased with the parchment that covers them. The dried parchment is the indication that the fruit is ripe. They should be bright yellow to orange in colour and should be soft yet firm to touch. Check for holes in the fruit as there could be insects.
How to Store:
Gooseberries should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. They can also be kept at room temperature if they are slightly unripe, but then the shelf life will be only three to four days.
7. Orange:
French: Orange
Hindi: Santra
Orange belongs to the family of citrus fruits and is rich in vitamins A, B, and C and is a good source of calcium. The juice of this thirst-quenching fruit is a popular drink. Oranges are available in various colours ranging from yellow to deep orange and have varied peel thickness. The colour and the thick peel depend upon the weather conditions during the growing season of the fruit.
Oranges grown in colder climates have brighter skin. Warm climate results in green coloured skin, even though the fruit might taste very sweet. This versatile fruit can be used in many ways—in milk shakes, jam, jelly, or marmalades. Even the rind and zest of this fruit is added to various breads and pastries for a refreshing tangy flavor.
How to Select:
Oranges should be firm and heavy for their size. Thick skin oranges are usually sweet and are often referred to as ‘table oranges’, while thin skin oranges are juicy and hence, called juice oranges. Juice oranges might not be as sweet as the table oranges but have good yield of juice. The skin of the orange should be smooth and shiny and there should be an even colour on the fruit.
How to store:
Oranges store well at room temperatures, but it is advisable to store them refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air Do not pile too many on top of each other.
8. Peach:
French: Peche
Hindi: Aadoo
It is a heavy, sweet, astringent, and very tasty fruit. It is a laxative fruit and rich in vitamin A and potassium. It is strengthening and easily digested. This sweet and sour tasting fruit is cooling in nature and hence, abundantly available in summers. Peach is widely used in production of wine, liquor, and brandy.
It is eaten as fruit and also canned for various uses. It is a slightly firm fruit so it is often poached and eaten for breakfast. Canned yellow peaches served with raspberry compote a classical dessert called ‘peach melba’.
How to Select:
Peaches should be firm to touch with an even orange colour. The fruit when pressed with a thumb should feel juicy and fleshy. They should be free from blemishes and should not have packaging dents.
How to Store:
Peaches should be stored in a refrigerator at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
9. Watermelon:
French: Watermelone
Hindi: Tarbooz
This large melon has water content up to 95 per cent and hence, the name watermelon. The most popular fruit to beat the summers, it is eaten sliced or just cut into fruit salad or even relished as juice. It is commonly offered as a welcome drink in most of the hotels as it quenches thirst and is of a pleasing colour. It has a green rind with red or pink flesh and can be round, oval, or oblong shape. There are certain watermelons which are hybrid and are seedless as well.
How to Select:
A watermelon of 3 to 4 kg size is usually sweet. It should have a smooth, even, and dark green skin. It should be firm and heavy for its size and the surface should be resilient to strong pressure. While selecting a watermelon, one should check for a hollow sound in the watermelon. The hollow sound indicates a sweet melon.
How to Store:
Water melon can be stored at room temperature for around two weeks otherwise it can be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a basket.
10. Apricot:
French: Abricot
Hindi: Khumani, Khoobani
It is a sweet and sour fruit. Apricots relieve thirst and are a very good remedy for cough. The fresh fruit is rich in calcium, vitamin A, and sugar. It is a good source of vitamin B complex and vitamin C. Fresh apricots are eaten raw or even stewed for compotes. Dry apricots are used in Indian cooking in Kashmiri and Hyderabadi cuisine.
How to Select:
Apricots should be soft, yet firm to touch and should have an even orange colour. They should be free of blemishes and any holes.
How to Store:
Fresh apricots should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
11. Cranberry:
French: Canneberges
It is an astringent fruit rich in vitamin C. It is diuretic and beneficial for kidney and bladder ailments. This sharp tasting red colour berry is very sour and is always cooked with sugar before making it palatable. Cranberry jelly is the classical accompaniment to roast Turkey served during Christmas.
Cranberries grow on low trailing vines. It is believed they got their name from the long necked pink blossoms which resembled the neck of the crane. From ‘craneberries’ they became ‘cranberries’ over a period of time.
How to Select:
Cranberries are difficult to find fresh in India and are always available canned.
How to Store:
Cans should be stored at room temperature. Once opened, empty the contents into a bowl and keep refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C.
12. Date:
French: Date
Hindi: Khajoor
It is a sweet, heavy, aphrodisiac, and cool fruit. It helps to build the body and reduces alcohol intoxication. It is usually consumed raw or with milk. It is a good source of calcium, iron, and sugars. It was one of the earliest fruits available to the mankind and was grown in Mesopotamia, now in Iraq, more than 5000 years ago. It is sometimes called the ‘candy that grows on trees’. Dates were consumed on camel caravans across the deserts to provide energy and to keep the body cool.
How to Select:
Dates are difficult to find fresh in India and hence, they are always available dried and packed. Buy dates that are intact and free from insects.
How to Store:
Store dates at room temperature and once opened, empty the contents into a bowl and keep refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C.
13. Grapefruit:
French: Pamplemousse
Hindi: Chakotra
It is a hot and sour fruit. It is an excellent appetizer and promotes salivary and gastric digestion. It is a body strengthening fruit. It is available with white flesh and pink flesh. It is usually eaten for breakfast and classically served with castor sugar and cinnamon.
How to Select:
Grapefruit should be firm and heavy for its size. The thick skin indicates sweet fruit. The skin of the grapefruit should be smooth and shiny and there should be an even colour on the fruit.
How to Store:
Grapefruits store well at room temperature, but it is advisable to store them refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Do not pile too many on top of each other as they will get mouldy if kept for too long in the fridge.
14. Guava:
French: Goyave
Hindi: Amrood
It is a sweet and a cooling fruit. It is heavy and hard to digest. Eaten widiout the rind, it may lead to constipation. However, the unripe fruit may be useful in diarrhoea. Decoction of the leaves, when gargled, relieves swollen gums and mouth ulcers. It is useful in gout also.
Guava is a rich source of pectin and hence, it is used for making jams and preserves. This fruit is native to South America and is also widely cultivated in the USA. There are many varieties of guava available some have whitish flesh while some varieties have deep pink flesh.
How to Select:
Guavas should be soft yet firm to touch with an even yellow colour. Green colour denotes that the guavas are unripe. They should be free of blemishes and any marks.
How to Store:
Guavas should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
15. Mango:
French: Mangue
Hindi: Aam
It is a cool and sweet fruit. Unripe mango is sour, astringent, and pungent. It is also known as the ‘king of fruits’. The ripe fruit is a good laxative, increases the urine flow and cools the blood.
The mango originates from South-East Asia, where it has been growing for more than 4000 years. Mango is considered to be a tropical fruit as it grows best in that climate. In India raw mango is used in making pickles, whereas ripe ones are used for milk shakes, ice creams and eaten as it is.
How to Select:
Mangoes should be soft yet firm to touch with an even yellow colour. Some varieties of mangoes have green skin also. They should be free of blemishes and any packaging marks.
How to Store:
Mangoes should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air Do not pile too many mangoes in one basket as it is a very soft fleshy fruit and might get damaged.
16. Pineapple:
French: Ananas
Hindi: Ananas
Pineapple is an herbaceous, perennial plant with large pointed leaves. Fresh pineapple is good uncooked and is often used as a topping for a cheesecake or a tart and in fresh fruit salad. In India there are two kinds of pineapples received in the hotel—rani pineapple and normal pineapple.
Rani is a superior variety and is slender and taller than the normal pineapple. These can be used in fruit platters. But if the pineapple needs to be cooked into compote, then it is advisable to use the normal pineapple.
How to Select:
The skin should be yellow in colour and the surface should have a clean and waxy shine. The fruit should be heavy for its size. The eyes should be fully developed and hard. There should be no internal browning or decay, broken skin, bruises, moulds, or tender spots. The fruit should be light yellow in colour, sweet, and juicy and not fibrous. Each pineapple should weigh between 2 to 2.5 kg. It should have its distinct aroma.
How to Store:
Pineapple should be stored in a refrigerator at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air Do not pile too many pineapples in one basket as they are very soft fleshy fruits and might get damaged. Store them upright with the stem facing up.
17. Papaya:
French: Pawpaw
Hindi: Papita
It is widely cultivated in all the tropical countries. Papaya is a large fruit with yellowish rind and reddish yellow flesh with a large central cavity with many seeds. Papain, an enzyme found in papaya, is used as a tenderizer. There are three kinds of papaya that are received in hotels—raw, normal, and disco.
Raw papaya is used for making salads and relishes. Disco papaya is slender and longer than normal papaya and has dark orange coloured flesh. Papaya is usually used as boats for morning breakfast.
How to Select:
Select papaya that is even shaped and more oval and slender in shape. The skin should be yellow in colour with traces of orange. When shaken, the seeds should rattle and the apex of the fruit should easily dent when pressure is put on it by hand. There should be no internal browning or decay, broken skin, bruises, moulds, or tender spots.
The pulp should be deep reddish orange in colour and deep yellow in case of normal papaya, with a sweet taste. Each papaya disco should weigh 750 g to 1.25 kg and normal papaya between 1.250 to 1750 kg. It should have its distinct aroma.
How to Store:
Papaya should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Do not pile too much. Papaya in one basket as it is a very soft fleshy fruit and might get damaged. If the papaya appears to be raw, then wrap and store it in a newspaper for a day or two.
18. Melon:
French: Melone
Hindi: Kharbooza
Melons are available around the world and there are many varieties of the same. Melon is a great thirst quencher and has always been offered to the travellers in Egypt. Though melons are related to the gourd family, they have a sweeter flesh and hence, used in desserts. Melons combine well with ham and cold meats and thus are mostly served as appetizers also. There are different varieties of melons.
These are as follows:
Cantaloupe (known as charentias in French):
A cantaloupe has an orange flesh, with distinctive rough surface rind with green stripes marking the wedges of this fruit.
Muskmelon:
It is beige coloured and has a netted skin and orange flesh.
Honeydew:
This melon is the sweetest of all varieties of melons and has green coloured flesh. It has a pale green to yellow skin with netted structure.
Casaba or Japanese Melon:
It is oval with yellow to orange skin and has a white flesh. It is also called sarda in Hindi.
How to Select:
Select melons with a weight between 400 to 800 g. They should be sweet smelling with a fairly resilient, even skin. There should be no cracks or blemishes and pulp should be soft and juicy.
How to store:
Melons should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
19. Pomegranate:
French: Pomegranate
Hindi: Anaar
The fruit originated is the Middle East, and the Moors brought pomegranate to Spain. Pomegranates are round, reddish gold, and about 2 to 5 inches in diameter with juicy, crunchy kernels inside. The pomegranate is held in a cream coloured bitter membrane that is inedible. The dried seeds are also used as a souring agent in Indian cuisine and this fruit is also very popular in the Middle East.
In India there are two kinds of pomegranates—kandhari and rani. Kandhari has a golden skin with whitish to light pink coloured seeds, whereas rani has burgundy red skin with deep red coloured seeds. The seeds are always separated from the yellow pith that encircles the seeds as they impart a bitter taste.
How to Select:
Skin should be bright red, firm, and relatively thick. It should be spongy, puffy, wrinkled, or have marks and spots. There should be no traces of decay. The seeds should be bright red in colour and sweet to taste. Each pomegranate should weigh at least 300 to 350 g.
How to Store:
Pomegranates should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
20. Sapodilla/Mud Apple:
Hindi: Chikoo
Mud apple or chikoo is also known as sapodilla and is a very popular fruit in India. It has a dark mud coloured skin as well as the flesh. It is a very sweet fruit which has long black seeds in it. It can be used in desserts and is usually eaten raw as fruit.
How to Select:
The skin of the fruit should be mud brown in colour, thin and firm and not spongy, puffy, or wrinkled and there should be no blue or white moulds or traces of decay. It should feel heavy for its size. The weight should be 100 to 125 g per piece. The flesh should be brown, sweet, juicy and not fibrous. It should have its distinct aroma.
How to Store:
Mud apple should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Do not pile too many in one basket as they are very soft fleshy fruits and might get damaged.
21. Dragon Fruit:
French: Poire de chardon
This fruit resembles the fire flames of a dragon. This fruit is native to Vietnam and it is believed that the French brought it to Vietnam over 100 years ago. The fruit is very pretty and has vibrant colours such as purple, magenta, yellow, and blue. Inside this pretty fruit, a soft white fleshy ball of the size of an orange is concealed, with black seeds resembling black poppy seeds. This fruit has a sweet and sour taste and is used for garnishing cakes and pastries or sliced on fruit platters.
How to Select:
The skin of this fruit should have a shine and the tips of the protruding tentacles should be soft and pliable. The fruit should feel firm to touch and should be able to depress when pressed slightly.
How to Store:
Dragon fruit should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air.
22. Kiwifruit:
French: Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit is native to China and is a very pretty fruit when cut open. The dark green coloured flesh with symmetrical arrangement of black seeds and a pretty pattern is concealed under a thin paper like brown skin. They are served peeled as the outer flesh is inedible.
One has to be very careful in selecting a kiwifruit, as an unripe one will be sour and can sometimes cause an itchy feeling in the throat and an overripe one will be pulpy and not appetizing. Kiwifruit is used mostly as a decorating fruit and also served on fruit platters to enhance the colour.
How to Select:
The skin should be mud brown in colour and paper thin. The fruit should feel firm, yet the flesh should press when pressure is applied on the apex of the fruit. There should not be any wet marks on the fruit as this indicates that it is pulpy and overripe.
How to store:
Kiwifruit should be stored refrigerated at around 4 to 5°C in a perforated basket to allow circulation of air. Do not pile too many of them in one basket as they are very soft fleshy fruits and might get damaged.
A study conducted by Dr Paul Lachance of Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jessey, USA evaluated the nutritional value of fruits to determine which fruit provides the highest nutrition.’ The analysis determined the nutrient density of the 27 most commonly consumed fruits.
The study found kiwifruit to be the most nutrient-dense of all fruits, followed by papaya, mango, and orange. Kiwifruit, orange, and papaya are fruits most appropriate for weight control. Kiwifruit has the highest level of vitamin C, almost twice that of an orange and magnesium. It is important for cardiovascular health.
It is good to know the nutritional value of various fruits as they can be mixed and matched according to one’s deficiencies.