How To Choose Delicious Tangerines And Distinguish Them From Hybrids

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

How to choose delicious tangerines and not buy a hybrid

Mandarins have been the constant companions of the New Year's mood since Soviet times. Let's talk about how to choose juicy and sweet fruits, how to distinguish “purebred” tangerines from hybrids.

Such different tangerines: choose the taste and color

Many varieties of tangerines are available in modern markets and shops. They differ from each other by the shade of the peel, size, shape, and most importantly - taste. Someone like tangerines with sourness, while others are ready to treat themselves to exceptionally sweet fruits. Let's consider the characteristics of popular varieties in more detail:

1. Abkhazian. Tangerines have been considered the "Gold Standard" for many years. Their main advantage is environmental friendliness, because transportation from Abkhazia is much shorter than that of competitors. Ripe tangerine skin looks as if it is "great" - the pulp is easily separated, but juicy and firm, without seeds. These fruits taste sweet and sour. The peel is usually pale orange (possibly with greenish spots), smooth.

   

   Abkhaz tangerines are more common in markets than in stores

2. Spanish. They are distinguished by their large size and bright orange coloring of the porous peel. The pulp is usually juicy and sweet, but often pitted. Often, such fruits are sold with twigs, due to which they are stored for a long time.

   

   The hallmark of Spanish tangerines is the green twigs with which they are sold.

3. Moroccan. They usually have a relatively small size, rounded shape and a smooth, thin peel of a bright orange color. The pulp is juicy, pitted, difficult to separate from the peel. The taste is the sweetest of the listed varieties.

   

   Mandarins from Morocco are often sold with black diamond-shaped stickers

4. Turkish. They are considered the most affordable in terms of taste - with a noticeable sourness. The peel is pale orange, closer to yellow, loose. The pulp contains many seeds.

   

   Tangerines from Turkey are usually paler than others.

5. Israeli. Usually appear on the shelves later than other species - around the middle of winter. The fruits have a thin, smooth skin, usually without seeds. The pulp is sweet and firm, slightly less juicy than imported from other countries. The color of the pulp is yellow.

   

   Israeli tangerines are sweet but difficult to peel

6. Chinese. In Russia, they occupy a small market share, although juicy and pleasant to the taste, sweet and sour with easily peeled skin. Often, consumers mistake them for Abkhaz, but the Chinese taste is sweeter, they have thin partitions. Small in size, the rind is usually yellow in color, possibly with a green tint.

   

   Chinese mandarins often come with twigs

7. Egyptian. Usually rich orange with a porous skin. The taste is sweet, but slightly dry, with seeds.

   

   Egyptian mandarins are sweet but not juicy

Having decided on the variety of tangerines, proceed to inspect the fruit and assess the quality. Pay attention to:

• the condition of the peel (there should be no dark spots, dents);
• fruit color (the paler the color, the sour the fruit);
• firmness (juicy fruit is dense, not lethargic);
• juiciness (when you press on the peel with a fingernail, drops of juice spray);
• the color of the pulp (should be as bright as the peel);
• plaque on the surface (smooth, glossy rind, possibly waxed).

How to tell tangerines from hybrids

The fruits obtained by breeders as a result of crossing mandarin with other plants can be distinguished by both external and taste properties. We list the most common varieties:

1. Clementine. This fruit is a hybrid of mandarin and orange. Compared to tangerines, the fruits are sweeter and more juicy, they have a thin glossy skin. There are no bones inside. They cost a little more than their "progenitors", they are stored longer. These tangerines are the main cultivar in Greece, which is why they are called Greek tangerines.
2. Tangiero. Obtained by crossing a mandarin and a pomelo. Outwardly, it is slightly larger than a tangerine, has a fleshy peel of a reddish hue, bones are often found.
3. Mineola. A hybrid obtained by crossing a grapefruit with a tangerine. It is rarely found on Russian counters. The shape is a bit like a pear - it has a spherical base and a ledge at the top. The skin is usually orange or reddish. It has a sweet and sour taste and contains a lot of seeds.

Photo gallery: mandarin hybrids

Mineola is pear-shaped

Tangiero inherited thick peel and seeds from pomelo

Clementines taste sweet, very juicy

Video: "Test Purchase" - choosing tangerines in the store

In winter, tangerines help diversify the fruit diet. In order for the fruits to bring both pleasure and benefit, it is worth choosing them, following the recommendations of experts.