Kaki Sharon

Home / Origin:

The original home of the Kaki is Central China, South Korea and Japan. Today the fruit is cultivated in all subtropical or warm countries. Kakis from Brazil are marketed in Germany between January and May.

Description:

Kakis are berry fruits and grow on shrubs or trees 3 to 15m high. Depending on the variety, they may have a diameter of 6 to 12cm and a weight of 100 to 400g. They may be spherical or oblong-oval. Most varieties are organge to tomato red, a few have a yellowish colour. The skin is thin, smooth and glossy and mostly inedible. The flesh appears soft to jelly-like and contains at least 8 seeds. Most commercial fruits are seedless, however. They are harvested at the unripe and firm stage and they ripen during transport and storage. Their aromatic taste changes during the ripening process, from a sour bitter taste to a pleasant sweet taste. In average, the fruits contain 16% sugar, of which 43% is glucose, a fast-acting energy source. The mineral content is mostly potassium and phosphorus. Besides vitamin B and a content of 6-50mg vitamin C, the provitamin A is available in such quantity that 1 to 2 fruits a day cover the daily requirement of an adult.

Marketing :

The Kaki may be stored for 3-4 months at –1° C, in ethylene-free air and a relative humidity of 90-95 % At a temperature pf 0-3° C it may be stored for 14 days, in the refrigerator a few days.

Use:

For Western consumers unusual, the kaki develops its full and wonderfully sweet taste only at a stage, where other fruits would be considered "overly ripe". This fact still requires more information for the consumer. The fruit is eaten raw: after dividing and peeling it, simply spoon the flesh. It may be seasoned with lime juice, liqueur, brandy or rum. Other usages are as ingredient in compotes, marmalades, mousses, syrup, ice cream, cottage cheese preparations or as topping of a cake.