A Consumers Guide On World Fruit

A reference guide for those who seek information on fruits from around the world

This colorful handbook will help you pick good-quality, healthy fruits and vegetables that are a vital part of your daily diet. You'll learn why there is more to fruit and vegetable quality than meets the eye and how to handle yourfresh fruits and vegetables at home to maintain their quality and safety. You'll also learn how growing and harvesting factors can effect quality, and the effect of growing locations, produce handling methods, and the number of steps between production and retail markets. The publication includes handy tables to show you the steps between the field and your table, which fruits and vegetables should be stored in the refrigerator and which should be stored on the counter, and what to look for when selecting produce at the market.

Tropical and sub-tropical fruits have gained significant importance in global commerce. This book examines recent developments in the area of fruit technology including: postharvest physiology and storage; novel processing technologies applied to fruits; and in-depth coverage on processing, packaging, and nutritional quality of tropical and sub-tropical fruits. This contemporary handbook uniquely presents current knowledge and practices in the value chain of tropical and subtropical fruits world-wide, covering production and post-harvest practices, innovative processing technologies, packaging, and quality management. Chapters are devoted to each major and minor tropical fruit (mango, pineapple, banana, papaya, date, guava, passion fruit, lychee, coconut, logan, carombola) and each citrus and non-citrus sub-tropical fruit (orange, grapefruit, lemon/lime, mandarin/tangerine, melons, avocado, kiwifruit, pomegranate, olive, fig, cherimoya, jackfruit, mangosteen). Topical coverage for each fruit is extensive, including: current storage and shipping practices; shelf life extension and quality; microbial issues and food safety aspects of fresh-cut products; processing operations such as grading, cleaning, size-reduction, blanching, filling, canning, freezing, and drying; and effects of processing on nutrients and bioavailability. With chapters compiled from experts worldwide, this book is an essential reference for all professionals in the fruit industry.

Many edible plants considered exotic in the Western world are actually quite mainstream in other cultures. While some of these plants are only encountered in ethnic food markets or during travels to foreign lands, many are now finding their way onto supermarket shelves. Top 100 Exotic Food Plants provides comprehensive coverage of tropical and semitropical food plants, reviewing scientific and technological information as well as their culinary uses. Wide-ranging in scope, this volume’s coverage includes plants that produce fruits, vegetables, spices, culinary herbs, nuts, and extracts. A user-friendly format enables readers to easily locate information on botanical and agricultural aspects, economic and social importance, food uses, storage, preparation, and potential toxicity. The book also contains an introductory chapter that reviews important historical, economic, geopolitical, health, environmental, and ethical considerations associated with exotic food plants. Thoroughly referenced with more than 2000 literature citations, this book is enhanced by more than 200 drawings, many chosen from historical art of extraordinary quality. This timely volume also highlights previously obscure edible plants that have recently become prominent as a result of sensationalistic media reports stemming from their inherently entertaining or socially controversial natures. Some of these plants include the acai berry, kava, hemp, and opium poppy. A scholarly yet accessible presentation, the book is filled with numerous memorable, fascinating, and humorous facts, making it an entertaining and stimulating read that will appeal to a broad audience.