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Botanical name: Citrus reticulata
Clementines belong to the same category as mandarin oranges, although one sometimes reads that they are a cross between mandarins and bitter oranges.
Spain and Morocco are the chief growing countries; lesser producers are Italy, Greece, France and Turkey.
Availability
Clementines are a typical winter fruit. From the beginning of October until well into February they are available in large amounts.
Appearance, taste, characteristics
Clementines are usually flattened on the top and the bottom. They are sometimes sold with leaves and stem. The deep-orange skin is easy to remove. Clementines have a balanced sweet-sour proportion and taste aromatic. The segmented, deep-orange pulp contains few or no pips. Fruits that are labelled only as 'clementines' (instead of as 'seedless clementines') may contain up to ten pips.
Ingredients
Clementines contain a large amount of vitamin C; 100 g of the fruit supply almost one third of the recommended daily requirement of vitamin C, which is set at 100 mg for adults.
100 g contain:
|
Clementine, fresh |
Energy (kcal) |
46 |
Water (g) |
86 |
Protein (g) |
1 |
Fat (g) |
<1 |
Carbohydrates (g) |
9 |
Fibre (g) |
2 |
Vitamin C (mg) |
30 |
Vitamin A (RE) (µg) |
50 |
Folic acid (µg) |
15 |
Potassium (mg) |
180 |
Sodium (mg) |
2 |
Calcium (mg) |
35 |
Magnesium (mg) |
11 |
Iron (mg) |
0.3 |
Foreign substances
To prevent citrus fruits from moulding during transport and storage, the skin of conventionally grown fruit is often treated with preservatives. The skin of fruits treated this way is not suitable for consumption. After you have peeled such a fruit, wash your hands thoroughly before eating it.
Quality criteria, optimal storage conditions
Clementines taste best when they are fresh, but they can be stored for a relatively long time. They will keep in the refrigerator for at least 10 days.
For further information see the entry about mandarins.
Form of consumption, use, processing, practical tips for preparation
Clementines are normally eaten raw, but they can be used in making desserts and baked goods.
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