Hassaku orange ( ja, 八朔, also called "jagada",
) is
Japanese citrus
A number of citrus fruits are grown in or strongly associated with Japan. Many of these fruits are of Chinese origin, but have been modified or specially bred for cultivation in Japan.
Japanese taxonomy
Japan usually follows the botanical name ...
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
similar to an
orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
in color but with the size of a
grapefruit.
The original plant was discovered near the Jōdo Temple in Inno-shima,
Hiroshima prefecture, Japan.
[
]
Cultivation and uses
The Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
eat the 'Hassaku' as an orange, but it can be eaten with a grapefruit spoon
A grapefruit spoon is a utensil usually similar in design to a teaspoon that tapers to a sharp edge or teeth, the intent of the front serration
Serration is a saw-like appearance or a row of sharp or tooth-like projections. A serrated cu ...
to avoid the bitterness of the residual albedo
Albedo (; ) is the measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation out of the total solar radiation and measured on a scale from 0, corresponding to a black body that absorbs all incident radiation, to 1, corresponding to a body that refl ...
. It is much more tart than an orange, but it does not lack sweetness entirely. When bitten into, juice bursts into the mouth from a slice of this fruit, considered very pleasant.
In 2010, 68% of Japan's 35,919-ton 'hassaku' harvest came from Wakayama Wakayama may refer to:
*Wakayama Prefecture, a prefecture of Japan
*Wakayama (city)
Wakayama City Hall
is the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 351,391 in 157066 househol ...
, with the remainder mainly grown in Hiroshima, Ehime
is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Ehime Prefecture has a population of 1,342,011 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 5,676 km2 (2,191 sq mi). Ehime Prefecture borders Kagawa Prefecture to the northeast, Tok ...
and Tokushima Prefectures.[
The fruit is mostly eaten raw, because, when cooked, it becomes more bitter. Currently, the idea of using ion-exchange resin is being suggested as a way to remove the bitterness, and so make it possible to commercialize the juice. Nutritionally, the fruit is a good source of ]vitamin C
Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid and ascorbate) is a water-soluble vitamin found in citrus and other fruits and vegetables, also sold as a dietary supplement and as a topical 'serum' ingredient to treat melasma (dark pigment spots) ...
, folic acid
Folate, also known as vitamin B9 and folacin, is one of the B vitamins. Manufactured folic acid, which is converted into folate by the body, is used as a dietary supplement and in food fortification as it is more stable during processing and ...
, potassium
Potassium is the chemical element with the symbol K (from Neo-Latin ''kalium'') and atomic number19. Potassium is a silvery-white metal that is soft enough to be cut with a knife with little force. Potassium metal reacts rapidly with atmosph ...
and fiber.
Several populations of the trees were infested with Citrus tristeza virus
Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is a viral species of the genus ''Closterovirus'' that causes the most economically damaging disease to its namesake plant genus, ''Citrus''. The disease has led to the death of millions of ''Citrus'' trees all ove ...
which caused stunted growth and destroyed the harvest after 10–15 years.
An extraction from the young fruits have been used medically in skin care treatments for patients with atopic dermatitis.[
]
Others
Hassa-kun is a local mascot character which represents Inno-shima in Hiroshima prefecture to enhance image and promote tourism.[The Innoshima Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Hassakun Profile, Hassakun Official site, http://cci.in-no-shima.jp/hassakun/profile.html]
References
Citrus Variety CollectionSightseeing, tourist guide
External links
You tube
Oranges (fruit)
Japanese fruit
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