Fruits

1. Introduction

South Africa’s climate makes it well suited for fruit production and a lot of the fruit that it produces is exported to other countries. This contributes a lot to the country’s GDP.

While fruit provides economic benefits to the country, it also provides health benefits to its citizens. Fruit - the fleshy part of a plant (tree, bush, flower, etc) that protects seeds – is high in nutrients and fiber. It is usually eaten raw, and is characterized by its sweet (or sometimes sour) flavor.

2. Uses of fruit

-          Part of a continental breakfast

-          In a salad, or as a salad

-          An on-the-go snack

-          In meat dishes

-          As (or in) desserts and pastries

-          In juices

-          In smoothies

-          In cocktails (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)

3. Classification of Fruit

1.       Soft: small, soft fruit which does not have any noticeable seeds, pips or stones. Soft fruit has a short shelf-life and can be easily damaged in transport.
Example: Berries, strawberries

2.       Hard: medium sized fruit that is slightly more resilient to transporting than soft fruit, due to its slightly tougher exterior. Shelf-life is comparatively longer.
Example: apples, pears

3.       Citrus: a variety of fruits that share common characteristics, such as a tough outer skin and segmented juicy flesh. 
Example: oranges, lemons, grape-fruit, limes

4.       Stone: fruit which is characterized by a fleshy outer part enclosing a hard stone.
Example: cherry, plum, peach  

5.       Tropical: fruit that is known to grow in tropical regions
Example: guava, mango, papaya, watermelon

4. Ensuring a good product (purchasing and storing)

-          inspect the fruit before you buy it to make sure that there aren’t any bruises

-          select fruit that is appropriately ripe

-          keep fruit away from other food items, especially raw meat

-          refrigerate soft fruit, which has a shorter shelf-life than other fruits

-          any fruit that has been cut open should be refrigerated as soon as possible