Passiflora edulis
The passion flower (Passiflora edulis) is a climbing plant, native to South and Central America; specifically, it is considered native to Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay and northern Argentina. It belongs to the genus Passiflora and its edible fruit, of yellow, orange or purple, it is the passion fruit passion fruit or calala of the tupi mara kuya ("fruit that is used' or "food in the gourd").
The fruit is known by different names in the Americas and Spanish-speaking countries, depending on the country. For example: in Uruguay, Paraguay and northern Argentina it is called mburucuyá (in Guarani: mburukuja), in Puerto Rico it is called parcha, in Venezuela parchita and in the Dominican Republic chinola.
Etymology
The specific epithet edulis comes from the Latin and means 'edible'.
Common names
The name passion fruit was adopted by the Spaniards after contact with the natives of Peru, who presented them with these fruits that they called Poro-p'osqo and that its translation into Spanish would be 'bolsa-ácida'. The Spanish at first referred to it as "old donkey". Upon learning about the bush of this fruit and especially its flower, the Iberians were surprised and called it "the pious flower" since it reminded them of the elements of the "Passion". of Jesus Christ." The color of the flower is very intense red, hence the phrase "passion red".
The name maracuyá—introduced to European languages via Portuguese—is a corruption of the Tupi mara kuya, "the fruit of the ku'ya".
Description
Passiflora edulis is a climbing plant that can reach nine meters in length in favorable climatic conditions; its life span does not generally exceed a decade.[citation needed] Its stem is rigid and woody; It has alternate, large, evergreen, smooth, dark green leaves. The same plant can present non-lobed leaves when it begins to develop, and then trilobed leaves, due to the phenomenon of foliar heterophyly. The roots, as usual in climbers, are superficial.
The flower is presented individually; it can reach five centimeters in diameter in the wild varieties, and up to twice that in those selected for their ornamental value. It is normally white, with pinkish or reddish tints, in P. edulis; other species have colors ranging from deep red to pale blue.
The appearance of the flower, similar to a crown of thorns, led Spanish colonizers to call it the fruit of passion; its pentaradial structure received a theological interpretation, with five petals and five sepals symbolizing the ten apostles (twelve, except Judas Iscariot and Peter), while the five stamens would represent the five stigmata. Finally, the three pistils would correspond to the nails of the cross.
The fruit of the passion flower is an oval or round berry, between 4 and 10 cm in diameter, fibrous and juicy, covered with a thick, waxy, delicate and inedible rind. The pulp has a lot of little seeds. The color presents great differences between varieties; the most frequent in the countries of origin is yellow, obtained from the variety P. edulis f. flavicarpa but, due to its superior visual appeal, the fruit of the P. edulis f. edulis, red, deep orange or purple. This variety is known as gulupa in Colombia. It is for aphrodisiac use.
Distribution and habitat
It is native to the warm regions of Central and South America. It is grown commercially in most tropical and subtropical areas of the globe; among other countries, in Puerto Rico (parcha), the Dominican Republic (chinola), Bolivia, Paraguay (mburucuyá), Brazil, northeastern Argentina and Uruguay, northern Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Cuba, Costa Rica and Mexico (passion fruit), Venezuela (parchita), Nicaragua (calala), Honduras, Panama, El Salvador, parts of the Caribbean.
History
Passiflora edulis is considered native to the Amazon region, although it grows wild in an area that stretches mainly from northern South America, all of Peru, and as far north as Argentina and Paraguay. In Paraguay and northeastern Argentina, where it is called mburucuya in Guarani, it is adapted to more or less tropical regimes.
Throughout the 19th century, varieties of culinary utility were successfully introduced to Hawaii, Australia, and other islands in the South Pacific. The favorable climatic conditions made the plant adapt quickly; Although commercial exploitation did not really gain momentum in Hawaii until the mid-20th century, the plant had been common in the wild for decades.
The commercial success of passion fruit production, as well as the ornamental value of the flowers, prompted Kenya and Uganda to try its cultivation in the 1950s; at about the same time commercial planting was introduced to South Africa. It is not certain whether it was these varieties or those grown in Australia that were introduced to India via Sri Lanka, where today it is predominantly domestically grown.
Cultivation of passion flower has spread to numerous islands in the Caribbean, Israel, the Malay Archipelago and Polynesia.
Ecology
The plant is eaten by the larvae of the butterfly Acraea acara.
Taxonomy
Passiflora edulis was described by John Sims and published in the Journal of Botany, British and Foreign 66: 141. 1928.
- Accepted varieties
- Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa O. Deg.
- Passiflora edulis var. kerii Mast.
- Sinonimia
- Passiflora diaden Vell.
- Passiflora edulis f. edulis
- Passiflora edulis var. pomifera (M. Roem.) Mast.
- Passiflora edulis var. rubricaulis (Jacq.) Mast.
- Passiflora freesima A. St.-Hil.
- Passiflora incarnata L.
- Passiflora iodocarpa Barb. Rodr.
- Passiflora middletoniana J. Paxton
- Passiflora pallidiflora Bertol.
- Passiflora picroderma Barb. Rodr.
- Passiflora pomifera M. Roem.
- Passiflora rigidula J. Jacq.
- Passiflora rubricaulis Jacq.
- Passiflora vernicosa Barb. Rodr.
Cultivar varieties
Commercial cultivars belong almost without exception to the yellow varieties (P. edulis f. flavicarpa) and purple (P. edulis f. edulis).
The first grows and develops very well in tropical areas; invariably requires more than 1000 mm of rain per year and protection from wind and frost, but is otherwise hardier and more vigorous than purple passion fruit, and produces more regular crops; Because of its superior resistance to nematodes and other parasites, it is sometimes used as a rootstock for grafting the purple variety.
The second is better adapted to temperate zones, so it can be grown at higher altitudes; its rainfall requirements are similar to those of the yellow variety.
The adoption of one or the other is frequently given by gastronomic preferences. Yellow passion fruit is most widely cultivated in South America, Hawaii and Australia, while in Africa and India purple varieties predominate.
The most frequent cultivar varieties are the following:
- 'Mburucuyá' (amarilla): Paraguay
- 'Ouropretano' (purple): Brazil
- 'Muico' (purpura): Brazil
- 'Butba' (purple): Brazil (known as 'Brazileira Rosada' in Venezuela)
- 'Pintado' (purple): Brazil
- 'Mirim' (amarilla): Brazil
- 'Redondo' (amarilla): Brazil (known as 'Brazileira Amarilla' in Venezuela)
- 'Guazú' (amarilla): Brazil
- 'Hawaiiana' (amarilla): Colombia, Venezuela
- 'Gulupa' (purpura): Colombia
- 'Australian Purple' (purple): Australia, Hawaii (also known as 'Nelly Kelly')
- 'Common Purple' (purple): Hawaii
- 'Kapoho' (yellow): Hawaii
- 'Sevcik' (yellow): Hawaii
- 'University Round'
- 'Pratt' (yellow): Hawaii
- 'Waimanalo' (amarilla): Germany
- 'Yee' (yellow): Hawaii
- 'Noel's Special'
- "Maracuyá" (amarilla): Colombia, Mexico
- 'Granadilla' (amarilla): Guatemala
- 'Parcha' (amarilla): Puerto Rico
- 'Parchita' (amarilla): Venezuela
- 'Iniap 2009' (amarilla) Ecuador
- 'Quicornac' (amarilla) Ecuador
Uses
This species is highly valued for its fruit and, to a lesser extent, for its flowers, and is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental. The infusion of its leaves and flowers is also used for medicinal purposes. The passion fruit is a tropical fruit or also called passion fruit, with a slightly acidic flavor and aroma. The varieties in size, color and flavor, currently 40 countries use the passion fruit in the commercial field to satisfy the needs of the market.
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Characteristics of the passion flower
- Originating in the Amazon region of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, Brazil and Paraguay
- It is a vigorous and woody climbing plant.
- It grows up to 20 meters long in its stem, canned green in the upper parts.
- The fruit is a fleshy berry or red and yellow balust when ripe.
Growing Passiflora
- Free of damage, insect attacks, bruises or food rot.
- Fresh appearance and firm consistency, clean without abnormal humidity.
- Keep the area clean and wasteless.
- The wastes of production should not be at the point of work of the fruit to avoid contamination.
Pulping process
- During the process of healing and disinfection of maracuyá, we begin to wash the food so that we can control and eliminate the bacteria and microorganisms.
- The maracuyá is inserted into halves in the machine called "dispellant", so that we can help us get the pulp completely clean and without waste and on the other hand get all the residues of the maracuyá.
Pulp preservation
Once the pulp of the fruit is extracted, it is packed in a container in bags or glass jars to then seal the product and send it to a refrigerator to freeze it for preservation.
Passiflora oil
Passion fruit oil has a wide application in cosmetics: creams, shampoos, lotions, oils, soaps, etc. The oil can also be used in both food and feed, paint, soap, food and other industries.
While based on passionflower oil as a cosmetic product, this aids in post-peel regeneration and helps soften and hydrate dry skin. It also helps in the regeneration of skin with stretch marks and normalizes the altered lipid content.
Passion fruit oil-based products provide a relaxing and anti-stress sensation.
| Contents | Reference values | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Refrection Index (40 °C) | - | 1.47 |
| Yodo Index | gl2 | 141 |
| Saponification index | mg KOH g | 190 |
| Density (15 °C) | lg | 0.92 |
| Fusion | °C | 5 |
| Fatty acids | Unit | Membership |
|---|---|---|
| Palmytic acid | % weight | 12.8 |
| Stearic acid | % in weight | 1.05 to 2.05 |
| Oil acid | % weight | 13.0-18.0 |
| Lynoleic acid | % in weight | 70-77 |
| Linolenic acid | % weight | . 2 |
| Saturated | % | 16 |
| Unsaturated | % | 84 |
Gastronomy
The point of maturity of the fruit is given by its detachment; Harvesting must be done on the ground, manually. Whether for fresh or processed consumption, the shell must not show external damage of any kind. Special care should be taken not to consume the fruit before its maturity, since it presents cyanogenic.
Both varieties are eaten raw, in smoothies and juices, and in jams.
To consume it raw, it is not necessary to remove the seeds. It can be eaten directly from the fruit, once opened, or used in fruit salads; contemporary cuisine highly appreciates it in salads with green leaves, where its slightly acidic flavor offers a surprising combination. The flower can also be used in salads; it is perfectly edible and tasty, although depending on the variety it can have a slight sedative effect.
The juice of the fruit—obtained by pressing the pulp or processing it—is often too thick to drink straight; the usual thing is to combine it with other fruit juices, yogurt, milk or just water.
The pulp can be used to make jams; In this case, it is advisable not to discard the seeds, since their pectin content helps to gel the product. The peel is also rich in pectin, but it is not necessary if the seeds are used.
Both the juice and the pulp can be frozen without problems; Although the process affects the texture of the fruit, the flavor is preserved without appreciable changes for up to a year.
The pulp and juice of the passion fruit are rich in calcium, iron and phosphorus, as well as vitamins A and C.
Fruits of the related species P. mollissima, P. antioquensis and P. incarnata are less sweet, although similar in flavor; they are usually taken in jams or other cooking. The P. quadrangularis and the P. laurifolia, on the other hand, are excessively sweet, which is why they are used in juices dissolved in another liquid.
In Colombia it is very common to use this fruit in various preparations ranging from sweets and jams to juices, desserts and nectars, being highly appreciated commercially due to its great popularity within the population due to its sweet and sour flavor.
In Mexico the fruit was not well known until the early 1990s, when the market for it was consolidated along with some producers who took the initiative to cultivate it. The yellow variant of passion fruit is the one sold in the country.
In Venezuela, a thick drink called carato de parchita can be prepared with the peels previously boiled, mixing them with the juice of the fruit. You can also mix the juice with white rum, thus obtaining a cocktail called guarapita.