Fruit
Fruit refers to those edible fruits obtained from cultivated or wild plants that, due to their generally sweet-sour flavor, their intense and pleasant aroma, and their nutritional properties, are usually eaten fresh., as a juice or as a dessert (and to a lesser extent, in other preparations), once organoleptic maturity has been reached, or after being cooked.
The definition in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy is not specific: "edible fruit of certain cultivated plants; p. eg the pear, the cherry, the strawberry, etc." However, from the examples given, it is evident that the term fruit refers to fruits for priority use (although not exclusive) such as dessert, produced mostly by woody plants (i.e., fruit trees; for example, apple, pear, peach, plum, cherry, apricot or apricot, fig, vine, orange, mandarin, lemon, mango, papaya, cherimoya, guava, etc.) or by semi-woody plants (fruit bushes; for example, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, etc.) and, to a much lesser extent, by herbaceous plants (for example, strawberry or strawberry, banana or plantain).
Consumption of fruit provides few calories and a high percentage of water (between 80 and 95% of its fresh weight), which makes it easier for the body to hydrate. It helps the proper functioning of the digestive system by providing fiber food. With few exceptions (for example, coconut and palm oil obtained from the fruit of Elaeis guineensis), fruits do not provide saturated fat. Some fruits are sources of essential fatty acids for the body, such as nuts and avocados or avocados. Fruits are also an important source of energy for the body due to their high content of readily available soluble carbohydrates.
As a food, fruits make contributions to the diet that are extremely important to human health. In general, they are rich in vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants. Some vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C and potassium, depend to a large extent on fruits as sources of supply. There are fruits such as watermelon or melon that contain a high index of water.
Sorting the fruit
There are different ways to classify the fruit, depending on its type, the way it is harvested or the ripening process.
- According to the fruit:
- Fruits of bone or expensive (drups): those that have a seed enclosed in a hard, sclerified endocarpio; like the lady (albaricoque) or the peach (melocoton).
- Pepita or pomace fruits: fruits derived from a thickened receptacle, such as pear and apple, have 5 seeds without sclerified decks.
- Fruits of grain: are the fruits resulting from a thickened receptacle, whose true fruits (aquenios) present appearance of tiny seeds inside it. Such is the case of the fig, fruit that receives the botanical name of Yeah..
- According to the time from its collection until it is consumed:
- Fresh fruit: when the consumption is made immediately or within a few days of its collection, directly, without any preparation or cooking.
- Dry fruit, dried or passed: it is the fruit that, either naturally or by a process of artificial desiccation, has in its composition less than 50% water, and thanks to this it can be consumed months, and even years, after its harvest as nuts in general (including chestnuts and hazelnuts), peanuts, cocoa, raisins or orejons.
- According to the type of ripening (in the ripening of the fruit, an increase in the respiratory rate may occur, accompanied by an increase in the synthesis of ethylene, which is called climaterio and which serves to classify them:
- Climate fruits: are those that show a more or less marked increase in the respiratory rate and in the synthesis of ethylene. Among the climatic fruits are: apple, pear, banana or banana, peach, apricot, japanese plum, kiwi, chirimoya, caqui, papaya, guayabo, false guayabo, fig, mango, and avocado, among others. These fruits show a ripening coordinated by ethylene, which regulates the changes of color, taste, texture and composition. These fruits usually store starch (Leucoplastos) as a reserve carbohydrate during their growth. Starch can hydrolyze during maturation giving rise to simple sugars that give fruit taste. This process occurs even if the fruit is separated from the plant immediately before ripening (preclimate). This is why it is usually used to collect this type of fruit in preclimatical state, to store it in controlled conditions so that ripening does not take place until the time of marketing.
- Non-Climate fruits, do not present substantial variations in the respiratory rate or in the synthesis of ethylene during maturing. In addition, ethylene does not coordinate major organoleptic changes (sover, aroma, texture) during ripening. Among the non-Climate fruits are: cherries in general, strawberry or frutilla, orange, lemon, mandarin, pineapple, and grapes, among others. These fruits do not store starch before ripening, which is why they should not be separated from the plant before reaching organoleptic maturity. The collection should be made after maturity is reached, since they do not improve their flavor and aroma after separate from the plant.
Always, the speed of maturation and postharvest life is not associated with the climacteric or non-climacteric character of the fruits, but with respiration: the higher the respiratory rate (constant or not), the greater the perishability of the fruit. For example, the apple is a climacteric fruit that shows a peak in ethylene production and respiratory rate during ripening. However, its medium-low respiratory rate ensures a longer postharvest life than some non-climacteric fruits, such as strawberries, blackberries or raspberries, which have higher respiratory rates.
There are also some groups of fruits that are distinguished by having certain common characteristics:
- Citrus fruits, which is given in large perennial shrubs or woods (between 5 and 15 m) whose fruits or fruits, of the family of rutaceae, have a high content of vitamin C and citric acid, which provides them with a very characteristic acid flavor. The best known are orange, lemon, mandarin, maracuyá, grapefruit and lime.
- Tropical fruitthe one that is naturally given in the tropical regions, although by extension, applies to the fruits that need to develop warm temperatures and high humidity, such as banana, coconut, papaya, kiwi, mango and pineapple.
- Fruit of the forest, a type of small fruits that were traditionally not cultivated but grew in wild bushes in the forests, such as raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, coarseness, zarzamora and endrin.
- Dry fruit, that which by its natural composition (without human manipulation) has less than 50% of water. They are very energetic foods, rich in fats, proteins, as well as oligoelements. The best known are almond, walnut, hazelnut, peanut, coconut and chestnuts.
Mango or Manga. Citrus fruits
Composition of the fruit
The chemical composition of fruits depends above all on the type of fruit and its degree of ripeness.
- Water: More than 80% and up to 90% of the composition of the fruit is water. Because of this high percentage of water and the aromas of its composition, the fruit is very refreshing.
- Glucids: Between 5% and 18 % of the fruit is made up of carbohydrates. The content can range from 20% in the banana to 5% in the melon, watermelon and strawberries. The other fruits have an average value of 10%. The content in glucids can vary according to the species and also according to the time of collection. Carbohydrates are usually simple sugars such as fructose, sucrose and glucose, sugars of easy digestion and rapid absorption. The presence of starch is verified in yet immature climatic fruits; with ripening, starch hydrolysis occurs in simple sugars. The caloric value will be determined by its concentration in sugars, oscillating between 30-80 Kcal/100 g.
- Fiber: Approximately 2% of the fruit is dietary fiber. The components of the vegetable fiber we can find in the fruits are mainly pectins and hemicelulose. The skin of the fruit is the one with the highest concentration of fiber, but it is also where we can find some contaminants as insecticides, which are difficult to remove if not with the peel of the fruit. The soluble or gelifying fiber like pectins form viscous mixtures with water. The degree of viscosity depends on the fruit from which it proceeds and the degree of ripening. The pectins therefore play a very important role in the consistency of the fruit.
- Vitamins: Like carotene, vitamin C, group B vitamins. According to the vitamin content we can make two large groups of fruits:
- Rich in vitamin C: they contain 50 mg/100. Among these fruits are citrus fruits, also melon, strawberries and kiwi.
- Rich in vitamin A: They are rich in carotene, such as apricots, peaches and plums.
- Mineral salts: Like vegetables, fruits are rich in potassium, magnesium, iron and calcium. Mineral salts are always important but especially during growth for osification. The most important mineral is potassium. Those that are richer in potassium are banana and to a lesser extent bone fruits such as apricot, cherry, plum, peach, etc.
- Lipids: Most fruits have low fat content, ranging from 1% to 2%. As an exception we have fat fruits such as avocado that possesses 16 % lipids and coconut that comes to have up to 60%. The avocado contains oleic acid that is a monounsaturated fatty acid, but the coconut is rich in saturated fats such as palmic acid. With a high lipid value they have a high energy value of up to 200 Kilocalories/100grams. But most fruits are hypocalric about their weight.
- Proteins: Nitrogenated compounds such as proteins are scarce in the edible part of fruits, although they are important in the seeds of some of them. Protein content can be between 0.1 and 1.5 %.
- Aromas and pigments: The fruit contains acids and other aromatic substances that, along with the great water content of the fruit, makes it refreshing. The taste of each fruit will be determined by its content in acids, sugars and other aromatic substances. The málic acid predominates in the apple, citric acid in oranges, lemons and mandarins and tartatric acid in the grapes. Therefore the dyes, aromas and astringent phenolic components, although they are in very low concentrations, have a crucial influence on organoleptic acceptance of fruits.
Consumption
Fruits belong to group 5 of the food wheel, rich in sugars, vitamins C and A and mineral salts, represented in the green wheel. Due to its high content of vitamins and mineral salts, it belongs to the group of regulatory foods. Fruits are located on the second floor of the food pyramid, that is, the intake of 4 pieces of fruit per day for children and 2 pieces for adults is recommended. Despite the fact that in the general classification by groups, vegetables and fruits are in different groups, the nutrients they contain are similar, although in the case of fruits the carbohydrate content is higher and this makes them foods a little more energetic. Therefore:
- They are foods of low caloric value, since almost 80% of its composition is water, and it is recommended in diets to combat obesity. It is preferable to eat a piece of fruit before a piece of pastry.
- They contain dietary fiber that gives us multiple benefits such as constipation and diverticulosis.
- The fruit contains multiple micronutrients that act synergly as antioxidants and it seems to be cancer-protective substances, shown in epidemiological studies in prostate cancer and colon cancer. It also protects from multiple chronic diseases such as arteriosclerosis and diabetes mellitus.
Fruit cannot be replaced by other more modern desserts without unbalancing our diet. It is part of our eating behavior to eat fruit after the main meals, although today it is frequently replaced by dairy products, it must be said that this substitution is not adequate if it is done regularly, and should be done only on special occasions. Adequate consumption of fruit recommended by the WHO is 5 daily servings.
Process of maturation and evolution
The transformations that occur in fruits due to ripening are:
- Degradation of chlorophyll and the appearance of yellow pigments named carotene and red, called elders.
- Degradation of the pectin that forms the structure.
- Transformation of starch into sugars and decrease of acidity, as well as loss of astringence.
These transformations can continue to evolve until the fruit deteriorates. Ethylene is a chemical compound that produces the fruit before ripening and is essential for the fruit to ripen. Ethylene is a halogenated derivative compound. In ripe fruits, its presence determines the ripening time, so the control of its production will be key to its conservation. In non-climacteric grapes, the presence of ethylene causes an intensification of ripening.
Ripening manipulation can be done by changing the temperature, relative humidity, and levels of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and ethylene.
Preservation process
The fruit should be consumed, mainly as fresh fruit. Long term storage is not suitable; it would not be possible for some types of fruit either, such as cherries or strawberries. Many species of fruit cannot be kept fresh, because they tend to decompose quickly. When preserving or storing the fruit, it must be taken into account that high environmental temperatures favor ripening, since too high a temperature can affect the aroma and color. The fruit that is stored must be healthy, not deteriorated and free of external humidity. It is not advisable to store different varieties of fruit together or fruits with vegetables, especially with potatoes, since it is thought that it can influence ripening. Apples should also not be stored with carrots because they make carrots sour. It is not advisable to keep bananas in the fridge because the aroma and appearance deteriorate. The rest of the fruits can be stored in the refrigerator. It is recommended to keep delicate fruits for a maximum of two days, stone fruits for one week, and ripe citrus fruits for about ten days. Apples and pears can be stored for a few months in a cool room at around 12 degrees, airy and dark with 80 to 90% humidity.
In the large-scale or industrial conservation of the fruit, the most important objective to achieve said conservation will be to control its respiration, avoiding the ripening of climacteric fruits and trying to make the maturation of non-climacteric fruits as slow as possible. possible. The fruit before ripening is preserved in environments very poor in oxygen, and if possible with high concentrations of carbon dioxide. They should be placed in dark places and with temperatures below 20 °C. These conditions control the production of ethylene.
The ripe fruit should be kept in low light conditions, low temperatures between 0 and 6 degrees Celsius and high relative humidity, close to 90%.
You have to separate the ripe fruits from those that are not, since a single piece can make the rest ripen. Especially apples, when one is rotten it must be separated immediately and discarded so that the others do not rot.
Preparation
In order to enjoy fruit all year round, we proceed to its conservation:
- Conserva
- In cans or glass jars heated in the absence of air. Bacteria are eliminated by heat and the subsequent introduction of them in the container is avoided by an empty hermetic closure. They are usually cooked and macerated in syrup.
- Drying
- It is the most economical method of conservation of fruits, especially for apples, plums, apricots and grapes. They stumble and dry in the air. The elimination of the water of the fruit by desecration is a method indicated to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and to inactivate enzymes, if accompanied by complementary pretreatments. The dried fruits contain about 20% of water, 3 % of proteins, 70 to 5 % of assimilable glucids and 3 to 5 % of fibers. They are therefore foods rich in energy and minerals, and if dehydration is well done, they constitute an excellent source of vitamin A and C. During dehydration ascorbic acid losses may vary between 10% and 50% and those of vitamin A between 10% and 20%. The use of sulfur compounds destroys vitamin B1. Dry fruit has a low humidity content, which makes it preserved for longer and should not be consumed recently.
- Azucated
- For its preparation, the fruit is part in pieces, placed in clean containers and covered with layers of sugar, the pots are closed and stored in a cool place. Sugar extracts moisture from bacteria, inhibiting their development and reproduction.
Fruit Macedonia. - Macerado in alcohol
- Alcohol is a powerful desiccating, which would act the same as in sugar drying, such as in cherries to cognac.
The possibility of using fruit is even greater with the various fruit preparations:
- Jamal
- They are pasty and untute products made with fresh fruit separated from bones and seeds, or fruit pulp or fruit concentrates to which fruit is added. These are crushed and cooked with sugar until you get a pasty consistency. In its preparation, 45 pieces of fruit and 55 parts of sugar must be added. The addition of colorants or glucose syrup up to 12 %, is only supported by the corresponding statement on the label. The jams allow you to take advantage of those fruits that are too mature or deteriorated that are not suitable to present them at the table.
- Confidence
- They are made almost always from a single type of fruit, by cooking fresh, whole or stumped fruit, from the pulp of the fruit, but with agitation. Unlike jams, they contain when they are ready, whole pieces of fruit, being very thin jams. The process of sugar and cooking of confections, jams and jelly, partially destroys ascorbic acid, very oxidized to the air in the presence of iron. It is generally admitted that the loss of ascorbic acid in the confection is approximately 25%.
- Jalea
- They are a preparation of gelatinous and untuosa consistency, made from juices or extracts of fresh fruit by cooking with equal amount of sugar. Sugar is most of the energy value of this type of fruit derivatives.
- Fruit drink
- They are obtained by squeezing or crushing fruits and adding water and sugar. The nutritional value of fruit beverages depends mainly on the type of fruit used, processing methods and the degree of dilution. The vitamin content is lower than that of fresh fruit and these losses also depend on the type of fruit. For example, at the same storage temperature, ascorbic acid loss is greater in orange juice than in grapefruit, due to non-enzymatic reactions. In the preparation of nectares, only part of the fiber is removed; and its caloric value is greater than that of the juices due to the addition of sugar (except that the latter element is replaced by some sweetener as sucralose or stevia).
Production
India leads the world in large-scale fruit production, made possible by its humid climate, followed by Vietnam and China.
| Country | Production (thousands of dól. int.) | Note | Production (MT) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 India | 1.052.766 | C | 6.600,000 | F |
 Vietnam | 438.652 | C | 25,750,000 | F |
 China | 271.167 | C | 1,790,000 | F |
 Indonesia | 255.216 | C | 1.600,000 | F |
 Nigeria | 223.314 | C | 1,400,000 | F |
 Iran | 223.314 | C | 1,400,000 | F |
 Burma | 183.436 | C | 1.150 | F |
 Papua New Guinea | 129.203 | C | 810.000 | F |
.svg){kind=small} Nepal | 82.945 | C | 520.000 | F |
 North Korea | 78.160 | C | 490.000 | F |
| No symbol = official data, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial data, C = calculated data; Production in thousands of international dollars is calculated according to international prices of 1999-2001 | ||||
On the other hand, regarding tropical fruit, the Philippines is the main producer, followed by Indonesia and India.
| Country | Production (thousands of dól. int.) | Note | Production (MT) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Philippines | 389.164 | C | 3,400,000 | F |
| Indonesia | 377.718 | C | 3.300.000 | F |
| India | 335.368 | C | 2.930.000 | F |
| China | 177.413 | C | 2.164,000 | F |
 Thailand | 83.556 | C | 730.000 | F |
 Pakistan | 60.893 | C | 532,000 | F |
 Brazil | 55.513 | C | 485,000 | F |
 Bangladés | 31.934 | C | 279,000 | F |
 Mexico | 28.615 | C | 250,000 | F |
| No symbol = official data, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial data, C = calculated data; Production in thousands of international dollars is calculated according to international prices of 1999-2001 | ||||
Fruits and their effect on health
Laxative effect
Fruits have been considered as an adjuvant to prevent constipation. The dietary or food fiber present in them is considered the key to this property. They can have two types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. The average amount of fiber that fruits provide ranges from 9 grams per 100 grams. There are other compounds that can be laxatives, such as sorbitol or phenolic compounds; The fruits recommended for this effect are prunes (fresh or in juice), they have a high sorbitol content (laxative dose for men 0.4 g/kg, women 1 g/kg).
Fruits and heart disease
Cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease or myocardial infarction) have a close incidence relationship with dietary habits, many studies report special attention to the consumption of fruits and vegetables in terms of the high benefits, since they provide certain substances, as antioxidants, folates, fiber, potassium, flavonoids and other phytochemicals (lycopene); which are involved in mechanisms for the control of arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, control of oxidative processes (formation of free radicals) responsible for the development of cardiovascular disease.
The recommendations of the ACC/American Heart Association base the treatment on lifestyle changes, for the reduction and control of arterial hypertension and low-density lipoproteins, within these changes emphasis is placed in increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals.
Fruits and cancer
Several prospective, multicenter studies have shown significant evidence of an inverse correlation between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of cancer. For this reason, in 1997 the World Cancer Research Fund established the following recommendation ¨eat between 400-800 g or 5 or more servings per day of a variety of vegetables and fruits throughout the year¨.
Fruits are an important source of vitamin C and other antioxidants, such as carotenoids, polyphenols and flavonoids; a meta-analysis estimated a significant risk reduction of 28%/100 g of fruit consumed per day. When the analysis was restricted to citrus, the significant risk reduction was 25%/50 g/day of fruit consumed. In the European cohort European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) a 40% significant reduction in risk was observed for the highest quintile of fruit consumption compared to the lowest, citrus fruits particularly reported a reduction in 24%•
Fruits and glucose metabolism Experimental studies have shown that a high intake of fiber reduces the concentration of glucose and insulin in the blood of diabetics and produces low glucose tolerance. Low glycemic index foods, regardless of their particular fiber content, are associated with better postprandial glucose response and overall improvement in glycemic control.
Fruits and obesity
The high consumption of fruits and vegetables in obese people ensures a 30% decrease in daily caloric intake, but does not affect their palatability and satiety sensation. But the high insoluble fiber content of some fruits can help control satiety, by slowing gastric emptying.