pomelo

Pomelo
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. maxima
Binomial name
Citrus maxima Merr.

The pomelo (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis) is a citrus fruit native to South East Asia. It is usually pale green to yellow when ripe, with sweet white (or, more rarely, pink or red) flesh and very thick pudgy rind. It is the largest citrus fruit, 15-25 cm in diameter,^[1] and usually weighing 1-2 kg. Other spellings for pomelo include pummelo, and pommelo, and other names include Chinese grapefruit, jabong, lusho fruit, pompelmous,^[2] Papanas, and shaddock.^[3] Pomelos are also referred to as chakotara in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. In the Indian State, Manipur, this fruit is known as Nobab.

Cultivation and uses

The Chandler is a Californian variety with a smoother skin than many other varieties. An individual fruit can reach the weight of one kilogram.

The pomelo tastes like a sweet, mild grapefruit - it has very little or none of the common grapefruit's bitterness, but the membranes of the segments are bitter and usually discarded. The peel is sometimes used to make marmalade, or candied then dipped in chocolate. The peel of the pomelo is also used in Chinese cooking or candied. In general, citrus peel is often used in southern Chinese cuisine for flavouring, especially in sweet soup desserts.

In Vietnam, two particularly well known varieties called bưởi Năm Roi is cultivated in the Trà Ôn district of Vinh Long Province of the Mekong Delta region and bưởi da xanh in Ben Tre Province.

In the Philippines, the fruit is known as the suhâ, or lukban, and is eaten as a dessert or snack. The pommelo, cut into wedges, is dipped in salt before it is eaten, and pommelo is also a flavour for juice drink mixes.

In Malaysia, Tambun town near Ipoh, Perak is famous for pomelos. There are two varieties, the kind with white flesh is the sweet type, and the other with pinkish flesh which is sour. Pomelos are a must during the mid-autumn festival or mooncake festival; they are normally eaten fresh.

The tangelo is a hybrid between the pomelo and the tangerine. It has a thicker skin than a tangerine and is less sweet. It has been suggested that the orange is also a hybrid of the two fruits.

In Manipur, Nobab is used as a major source of vitamin C. This fruit holds a high place in the culture and tradition of Manipur. Many religious rituals seem incomplete without this fruit.

Production

Grapefruit and Pomelo output in 2005

The United States of America is the top producer of grapefruit (incl. pomelo), followed by China, South Africa, Mexico and Syria.

Top Ten Grapefruit (inc. pomelos) Producers — 2007
Country	Production (Tonnes)	Footnote
United States	1 580 000
People's Republic of China	547 000	F
South Africa	430 000	F
Mexico	390 000	F
Syria	290 000	F
Israel	245 000	*
Turkey	181 923
India	178 000	F
Argentina	176 000	F
Cuba	175 000	F
World	5061023	A
No symbol = official figure, P = official figure, F = FAO estimate, * = Unofficial/Semi-official/mirror data, C = Calculated figure, A = Aggregate (may include official, semi-official or estimates); Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division

Gallery

Pomelos	Pomelo after being cut	Pomelo after being sectioned	Meat of the pomelo
Pomelo on tree	Ipoh pomelos on sale at Chinatown, Singapore	Fruit on tree; from the Philippines	Pomelo flower in early April.

See also

• Grapefruit
• Oroblanco - a cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit
• Orange
• Tangelo - a cross between a pomelo or a grapefruit and a tangerine

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Citrus maxima

• New York Magazine - Pomelo recipes
• Star Bulletin - Choosing, storing, and using Pomelos