**1. Grapefruit Description and Varieties:**
– Grapefruit trees grow 5-6m tall, with leaves that are long, thin, glossy, and dark green.
– The fruit is yellow-orange skinned, oblate spheroid, and 10-15cm in diameter.
– Common grapefruit varieties include Duncan, Flame, Henderson, Marsh, Oro Blanco, etc.
– Varieties like Ruby Red, Rio Red, and Star Ruby have unique traits and commercial success.
– New grapefruit varieties have been developed using radiation to retain red tones.
**2. Grapefruit Nutrition and Uses:**
– Raw white grapefruit is 90% water, 8% carbohydrates, and rich in vitamin C and potassium.
– Grapefruit provides 10% of daily potassium needs and is low in fat but a good source of dietary fiber.
– Grapefruit is used in various culinary applications like sweets, juice, and jam.
– Different grapefruit flavors range from highly acidic to sweet and tart, influenced by compounds like grapefruit mercaptan.
– Grapefruit varieties are distinguished by their flesh colors and unique taste profiles.
**3. Grapefruit Drug Interactions and Health Benefits:**
– Grapefruit interacts with various drugs due to compounds inhibiting the CYP3A4 enzyme.
– Inhibiting CYP3A4 can lead to increased drug levels in the blood and hinder drug absorption in the intestine.
– Consumption of grapefruit with certain medications can cause adverse effects and potential overdose toxicity.
– Grapefruit is a good source of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber, with studies showing positive health impacts.
– The fruit is commonly used for its nutritional value and health benefits.
**4. Grapefruit Origins, Naming, and Related Citruses:**
– Grapefruit was first described in 1750 and gained popularity in the 19th century, causing confusion with pomelos.
– The fruit is believed to have originated in Barbados as a natural cross between sweet orange and pomelo.
– Grapefruit is a hybrid of pomelo and sweet orange, giving rise to hybrids like tangelos, Minneola, Orlando, and Fairchild.
– Ugli is a probable hybrid of mandarin and grapefruit, while Oroblanco and Melogold are hybrids between pomelo and grapefruit.
– The botanical classification of grapefruit is Citrus paradisi, a backcross hybrid of pomelo and sweet orange.
**5. Grapefruit Production and Research:**
– Grapefruit production data is available from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and FAOSTAT.
– Research on grapefruit includes physico-chemical, microbiological, and sensory parameters, as well as genetic origin studies.
– Studies focus on sugars, organic acids, aroma components, and carotenoids in grapefruit, along with odor-active volatiles in grapefruit juice.
– Grapefruit’s cultural significance is discussed in various publications, historical botanical texts, and its role in the citrus industry and warm climate fruit cultivation.
The grapefruit (Citrus × paradisi) is a subtropical citrus tree known for its relatively large, sour to semi-sweet, somewhat bitter fruit. The interior flesh is segmented and varies in color from pale yellow to dark pink/red.
| Grapefruit | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Sapindales |
| Family: | Rutaceae |
| Genus: | Citrus |
| Species: | C. × paradisi
|
| Binomial name | |
| Citrus × paradisi Macfad.
| |
Grapefruit is a citrus hybrid that originated in Barbados in the 18th century. It is an accidental cross between the sweet orange (C. × sinensis) and the pomelo or shaddock (C. maxima), both of which were introduced from Asia in the 17th century. It has also been called the forbidden fruit. In the past it was referred to as the pomelo, but that term is now mostly used as the common name for Citrus maxima.