fruits from these cultivars, in the skin and pulp they have
particularly red pigments (antociani) in addition to the
carotenoids present in all citrus. The contents of these
substances vary in relation to some factors that could have
genetic or environmental origin.
the intensity of the colour changes between various cultivars,
therefore, within this group there is another two subgroups,
according to the colour intensity.
climate factor plays such
an important part that some cultivar with well pigmented fruits,
moved to an unsuited environment, can practically loose all its
character. The best conditions for Pigmentation, is a dry
climate, such as in the Mediterranean, with a high temperature
range between day and night during the critical period in order
for the red colour to appear, that is to say late autumn and
early winter, according to how early the cultivar is. Low temperatures work on the phenomenon in a determined way,
therefore it can be seen that fruits facing the north side
acquire an intense colour when compared to the ones facing
south. Oranges kept
in refrigerators at a temperature of about 8° after a couple of
days acquire pigmentation from the peel. The requirement of cold
temperatures during the ripening period does not exclude that
these cultivars also need warmth during summer and autumn,
prior to the ripening process.
Therefore mild climates, not hot enough during summer and
not very cold in late autumn and winter, are not advisable for
the distinctive cultivar requirements.
This means that the most suitable areas for the pigmented
cultivar is not very extended; such modest adaptability
is confirmed by the fact that in Italy the best environmental
conditions for the cultivation
is found in limited territorial area of Catania and Siracusa
facing the Etna Vulcano.
the reddest of all oranges, its deep
red colour tends towards black. If the Taracco is the king of
all pigmented oranges, the Moro well deserves to be the Prince
with its sour taste.
this important sicilian cultivar originated in the citrus
cultivation of the Lentine area (province of Siracusa). In Italy
it plays an important role because it opens the doors to the
exportation of pigmented pulp oranges.
fruit are medium sized, with a deep orange colour, with
pigmented areas purple-red once it has reached advanced
ripening. Its shape changes between spheroid and oval, as the
fruits lengthen in the base hemisphere. In some cases
there can be a navel with various dimensions, that determines
the fruits exclusion from the first sales category, although it
does not judge their esthetical characteristics, organoleptic,
and resistance to transportation. The peel is of medium
thickness and the surface has a medium or medium-fine grain. The
pulp that is free of pips, is dark red, especially in the apical
hemisphere, where you can notice, also in externally green
oranges, the first veins. There is a lot of juice and the taste
is pleasant, except in very ripe fruits as the odour becomes
strong and the taste is not very pleasant.
starts at the
beginning of December, but the fruits reach the best
organoleptic characteristics about one month later.
“sweet” Princess is the red orange from whom the name
derives with which pigmented oranges are known world-wide, later
than the Moro and the Tarocco, it differentiates its self by its
orange colour and its delicate flavour.
is a Sicilian cultivar whose origin is unknown; it has been
present for a long time in the orange province area of Siracusa
and Catania. It plays an important part in the Italian
economical citrus culture, because it represents, together with
the “Sanguinello moscato”, the most important cultivar in
Italy during mid season that is after the “Moro” and the “Tarocco”,
it follows and closes the pigmented orange country.
oranges have an oblong or spheroid shape, medium size and bright
orange colour with red shades.
peel and grain is medium sized. The pulp is apyretic has a
marked red colour, good juice quantity and excellent flavour
when fully ripened. The latter usually starts in February and
the main fruit picking takes place during March and April, time
when the fruit reach the best organoleptic
cultivar probably originates from the old citrus area in the
south-west of the Etna, in the Catania province; this hypothesis
comes from the fact that in that territory the oldest systems
are found and the widest diffusion took place from there. The
adjective “moscato” was added because of the reminding
flavour from the wine with the same name.
fruits have, in comparison to those of “Sanguinello comune”
shape (tending to the oval shape due to the present of a slight
collar) and larger patches. The peel has grain and medium
thickness and orange colour with slight red shades and by far
less marked than the “Sanguinello comune”.
is the King of all oranges, with pigmented pulp. The most
diffused blood orange within the Sicilian citrus. Its flavour
cannot be describes…it can only be tried.
cultivar is the most diffused, at least between the pigmented.
This happened mostly after the second world war following the
commercial success and due to cultivars reorganisation non
valuable, pigmented or blond.
fruits have a deep orange colour with red shades and strong
has a spheroid shape, tending towards oval due to the presence
of a collar, or <muzzle>, well developed in the most
characteristic oranges. The peel is medium thickness with fine
grain. The endocarp, with no pips is crunchy, orange colour and
with a good anthocyanic pigmentation with excellent juice and
juice contains a high content of vitamin C, (it can reach up to
90 mg/ 100 cc) more than other citrus. Ripening begins at about
mid December, for orchards on hills and well exposed to the sun;
picking ends at the beginning of April in tardy areas;
therefore, this cultivars fruits are found on the market for
about four months.
Blood Orange Juice?
orange juice from the province of Catania and Siracusa, in the
areas facing the Etna vulcano, have a unique characteristic. The
presence of the vulcano near orange orchards cause a constant
change in temperature between day and night, summer and winter.
These climate changes are the cause to a high vitamin C content
and determine the presence of a particular flavanoid family,
anthocyanins, which give its characteristic red colour.
blood orange juice is thirst-quenching thanks to its balance
between sugars and acids.
to its delicacy, the product is not excessively manipulated and
sophisticated, therefore when drinking it, you have the
certainty of what you are actually drinking.
cultivar juices have different characteristics:
mean values pattern
depends on many factors: