Unit 12 Berries, Grapes,

Stone Fruit and Citrus

 Based upon lectures and assigned
readings, you should, by the end of this
class, be able to…
 Visually recognize and use proper terms
to refer berries, grapes, stone fruit and
citrus as presented in lab sessions;
 List and explain the selection factors
when purchasing berries, grapes, stone
fruits and citrus;
Unit 12 Berries, Grapes,
Stone Fruit and Citrus
 Compare and contrast the members of
the following family groups based on
potential culinary use. Focus on
similarities and/or differences in terms
of identity, texture, flavor and suitability
for use in a variety of applications.
Key Terms
 Ambering  Regreening

 Slip  Russeting

 Ripe  Volatile oils

 Bloom  Shatter

 Ground color
Unit 12 Citrus
Oranges Grapefruits
 Juicing White, Red, Pink
Valencia, Hamlin Lemons
 Eating Standard, Meyer
Navel, Cara Cara Limes
 Mandarin Standard, Key, Kaffir,
Clementine, Tangerine, Yuzu
Tangelo  Specialty

Blood, Kumquat,
Seville, Uniq Fruit
Unit 12 Selection Factors-Citrus
 Firm, evenly shaped fruits.
 Brightly colored skin, minimal russeting
 Heavy for their size.
 Thin, smooth-skinned fruits have more juice
than coarse-skinned ones.
 Citrus fruits should have a pleasant citrus
aroma.
Selection Factors - Citrus
 Rough, ridged or wrinkled skin can also be an
indication of thick skin, pulpiness and lack of
juice.
 Skin defects such as scale, scars, thorn
scratches, or discoloration usually do not
effect the eating quality of the fruit.
 Dull, dry skin and spongy texture indicate
aging and deteriorated eating quality.
 No cuts, punctured skins or very soft spots.
Selection - Citrus
 Citrus is required by strict market regulations to be
well-ripened before being harvested and shipped out
of the producing state; thus skin color is not a
reliable index of quality, and a greenish cast or green
spots do not necessarily mean that the citrus is
immature.
Often fully ripened citrus will turn greenish, called
"regreening", especially late in the marketing season.

 Some citrus are artificially colored to enhance the

appearance of the fruits. This practice has no effect
on flavor, but artificially colored fruits must be
labeled "color added."
Orange, Juicing
Orange, Eating, Navel
Orange, Eating, Cara Cara
Mandarin, Clementine
Mandarin, Tangerine
Mandarin, Tangelo, Mineola
Specialty, Blood Orange
Specialty, Kumquats*

*Shown with a juice orange for scale

Specialty, Uniq Fruit
Specialty, Seville Orange
Grapefruit: White, Red, Pink
Lemon: Standard & Meyer
Pomelo
Lime: Standard, Key, Kaffir, Yuzu

Standard Kaffir

Key
Yuzu
 Selection Factors - Grapes
 Properly handled grapes exhibit a healthy “bloom” on
the surface without mold or leaking fruit.
 Firmly attached to predominantly green, pliable stems,
with minimal shatter. Dried out brown stems are a sign
of age and/or poor handling.
 All types should appear plump, firm, deeply and
uniformly colored throughout.
 Bleached areas around the stem or grapes lacking full
color are likely to be immature and not fully flavored.
 Grapes that are well ripened are “ambered” (yellowish
cast or straw colored tinge most pronounced near the
stem).
Grapes: Green, Red, Black
Grapes, Specialty:
Concord & Champagne
Unit 12 – Berries
 Blueberry
 Strawberry
 Raspberry
 Blackberry
 Gooseberry
 Cranberry
 Currants
Selection Factors - Berries
 All berries should appear plump, firm, deeply
and uniformly colored throughout.
 Dull, uneven coloration (white or green areas,
especially directly beneath the stem) indicates
immaturity.
 No attached stems or leaves (with the
exception of strawberries).
 No mold growth or leaking berries.
Packaging material should not show
significant staining.
Blueberry
Strawberry
Raspberry
Blackberry
Gooseberry
Cranberry
Currants: Red, Black, White
Unit 12 – Stone Fruit
 Nectarine  Specialty
 Yellow or White  Pluot
 Peach  Aprium
 Yellow or White  “Donut-Type”
 Plum Peach
 Green, Red, Black, Italian
 Apricot
 Sweet Cherry
 Sour Cherry
Selection Factors for Stonefruit
 Stonefruit should be firm,
plump, uniform and richly
colored with a slight softening
along the crease (if applicable).
 Peaches and nectarines should
have a full yellow-orange (or
white to ivory) ground color
with no green shades,
particularly near the stem end.
 Plum color should be dark and
well developed, indicative of
variety.
Do not store unripe stonefruit between 36-46°F.
 The most important indication of
good flavor and maturity in
sweet cherries is dark, even
color with bright, glossy, plump-
looking surfaces. The Bing
variety should range from deep
maroon or mahogany red to
black, for richest flavor. Lambert
and Morello cherries should be
dark red. Queen Anne are
yellowish with a red-orange
blush.
 Fruit should not exhibit evidence
of shriveling, bruises, mealy
texture, discoloration or
browning of the flesh.
Nectarine
Peach
Plum
Apricot
Sweet Cherry
Sour Cherry
Specialty Stone Fruits
Pluots

“Donut-type” Peach

Apriums
 Unit 12 Study Questions

1. Strawberries with white shoulders are of what quality?

2. What are the ripening characteristics of the berry category?
3. A light grayish "bloom" on blueberries indicates .
4. A light green blush present on grapefruit and oranges,
normally is a sign of:
5. Citrus fruits are likely to have high juice content if
they_____.
6. Is skin color a reliable indication of quality for citrus fruits?
7. What is the skin color between the red blush areas on peaches
and nectarines called? And what does it indicate?
Unit 13 – Bananas, Melons,
Specialty Fruits, Nuts and Seeds
 Based upon lectures and assigned readings, you
should, by the end of this class, be able to…
 Visually recognize and use proper terms to
refer to bananas, melons and specialty fruits,
nuts, seeds and legumes as presented in lab
sessions;
Unit 13 – Bananas, Melons,
Specialty Fruits, Nuts and Seeds

 List and explain the selection factors when

purchasing bananas, melons, specialty
fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes;
 Describe basic storage considerations for
nuts, seeds and legumes;
Unit 13 – Bananas, Melons,
Specialty Fruits, Nuts and Seeds

 Compare and contrast the members of the

following family groups based on potential
culinary use. Focus on similarities and/or
differences in terms of identity, texture,
flavor and suitability for use in a variety of
applications.
Banana and Plantain
 Banana  Plantain
 Standard or
common
Selection Factors
Bananas and Plantains
 Bananas which are firm,
bright in appearance, and
free from bruises or other
injury.
 The stage of ripeness is
indicated by the skin color.
Bananas with green tips or
with practically no yellow
color have not developed
their full flavor potential.
 Bruised fruit (which means
rapid deterioration and
waste); discolored skins (a
sign of decay).
 A dull, grayish, aged
appearance (showing the
bananas have been exposed
to cold and will not ripen
properly). Store above
60° with adequate air
circulation.
Melons
 Cantaloupe  Cranshaw
 Galia  Watermelon
 Honeydew
 Casaba
 Charentais (French
Breakfast Melon)
Selection Factors
Netted-Skin Melons
The three signs of full maturity:
 1. The stem should be gone, leaving a smooth, symmetrical,
shallow basin called a "full slip". If all or part of the stem base
remains or if the stem scar is jagged or torn, the melon is
probably not fully matured.

 2. The netting, or veining, should be thick, coarse and corky

and should stand out in bold relief over some part of the
surface.

 3. The skin color (ground color) between the netting should

have changed from green to a tan buff.
Cantaloupe
Galia
 Selction Factors
Smooth-Skin Melons
 Maturity is shown by a
 Ripeness in both
waxy feel and a yellowish
white to creamy rind color
(honeydew should not
have green or stark white
colorations).
 Well-shaped, spherical
and heavy for size.
smooth and netted-
skinned melons is
shown by a slight
softening at the
blossom end and the
development of a
characteristic melon
aroma.
Honeydew
Casaba
Charentais (French Breakfast Melon)
Cranshaw
Watermelon-Red and Yellow
 Well developed ground color
indicates maturity/ripeness on
watermelon (no pale green or
white underside).
 Watermelons should have
smooth, bright rinds, free from
bruises, soft spots or cracks.
Specialty Fruits
Figs  Passion Fruit
 Black Mission  Persimmon
 Brown Turkey
Fuyu
 Kadota
Hachiya
Guava
Mango
 Pineapple
 Standard  Pomegranate
 Ataulfo  Starfruit (Carambola)
Papaya
Figs

Kadota

Black Mission

Brown Turkey
Guava
Mango

Standard Ataulfo
Papaya

Ripe Stage Unripe Stage

Passion Fruit
Persimmon
 There are two varieties: 
the dark orange, acorn-
shaped Hachiya and the
light orange, flat-bottomed
Fuyu. 
 The Hachiya has high
tannic acid content and
needs to be fully ripened
Fuyu Hachiya before use.
Pineapple

Fragrant pineapple aroma from the bottom end is the best

indicator of quality.
Pomegranate
Starfruit