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Apples |
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Choose firm apples of good color
and flavor. Immature apples are poor in color
and flavor and shrivel after storage. Overripe
apples are mealy and poor in flavor.
Brown-tinted irregular area on surface is called
scald. It is caused by gases given off by apples
during storage. If slight, it affects quality
very little. |
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Apricots |
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Are usually picked slightly
immature. Best quality, tree-ripened can't be
shipped, so they are found only near growing
area. Select plump, firm, uniformly colored
fruit. Immature fruit is greenish yellow, hard
and slightly shriveled; lacks flavor. Ripe fruit
very perishable; avoid bruised fruit. |
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Avocados |
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May vary from spherical to pear
shaped, 5 ounces to 3 pounds, thin skin to thick
rough skin, green to almost black. Shape, size
and skin do not indicate the quality. Select
bright fresh-looking fruit just beginning to
soften; avoid bruised fruit. light brown
irregular marking does not affect quality. Decay
indicated by dark sunken spots. |
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Bananas |
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Have the best flavor if harvested
green. Buy yellow-ripe or full-ripe fruit. Good
eating quality indicated by a full yellow or red
color flecked with brown. Avoid soft, mushy
fruit, blackened areas or mold. Bananas that
have become too cold will not ripen properly and
will be of poor flavor. |
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Blackberries, Dewberries,
Loganberries, Raspberries |
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Should have bright, clean, fresh
plump appearance and solid full color. Overripe
berries are dull in color, soft leaky. Leaky
berries stain inside of container. Adhering caps
indicate unripe fruit. |
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Blueberries and Huckleberries |
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Select plump, fresh looking,
clean and dry berries that are free from trash.
Deep full color indicates good quality; mold
indicates decay. Moisture indicates breakdown of
fruit. Overripe fruit is dull and lifeless.
Berries held long after picking are dull and
shriveled. |
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Cherries |
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Select sweet cherries for eating
and tart cherries for cooking. Bright fresh
appearance, plumpness and good color indicates
good quality. Unripe fruit is small, hard, poor
in color, usually acid. Overripe fruit is soft,
dull in color, shriveled and leaky. Avoid
bruised and fruit and fruit with small brown
circular spots. |
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Cranberries |
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Should have fresh, plump
appearance, firmness and luster to indicate good
quality. Avoid shriveled, dull, soft and moist
berries. |
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Fresh Figs |
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Choose fully ripe and soft figs.
Color and size depends upon variety. Ripe figs
sour and ferment quickly. Odor indicates
souring. Avoid bruised fruit. |
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Grapefruit |
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Russet on fruit does not affect
flavor. Should be firm and springy, not soften
or flabby. Should be heavy for their size. Decay
indicated by soft discolored area at button end. |
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Grapes |
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Grapes to be served on the stem
should be firm, highly colored and should adhere
to stem. For juice, ripeness is essential but
compactness or shattering from stem are not
important. Frozen grapes have poor flavor,
indicated by dullness, sickness, shattering from
stem. Decay indicated by mold, wet grapes and
stained containers. |
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Lemons |
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Select heavy ones with
smooth-textures skin. Avoid decay at stem end or
soft, spongy fruit. |
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Limes |
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Select green, heavy fruit.
Surface blemishes do not indicate poor fruit.
Yellow fruit, insufficient acid. |
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Oranges |
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Select firm, heavy fruit. Surface
blemishes do not affect fruit. Avoid light,
puffy fruit with badly creased skin. |
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Peaches |
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Available late May through
October. The blush (red color) varies according
to variety. Soft, creamy-to-gold under color of
yellow part is sign of ripeness. Firm-ripe,
medium-to-large peaches are generally best buy.
Keep temperature 2 to 4 days until full ripe.
Store full-ripe peaches in refrigerator. |
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Pears |
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Firm, not hard, free from
blemish, clean, not misshapen, wilted or
shriveled. Soft at base of stem, for immediate
consumption. Wilted or shriveled fruits have
been picked too early and will never ripen or
have good flavor. Avoid fruit with water soaked
appearance. |
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Pineapples |
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Are picked in slightly immature
state. Ripe pineapple has a dark orange-yellow
color and a fragrant odor and the eyes are flat.
Select fruit relatively heavy for its size. If
picked when too immature fruit will not ripen,
will be dull and lifeless, often yellow, eyes
poorly developed, pointed. Avoid bruised fruit.
Fruit loses moisture if held a long time,
shrinks in size, color darkness. Decays rapidly;
look for dark areas at base or around eyes, sour
odor, mold, moisture. Light-colored area on side
indicates sunburn; fruit will be hard, dry and
pithy |
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Plums & Prunes |
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Ripe fruit is plump and Yields to
slight pressure. Immature fruit is hard,
shriveled, poor in color and flavor. Over mature
fruit is soft, leaky and insipid. Brownish color
on side indicates sunburn and the flavor is
likely to be poor. |
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Quinces |
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Good fruit is hard, free from
blemish, greenish yellow. Immature fruit is
green and lacks flavor. |
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Rhubarb |
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Choose fresh, firm, crispy,
tender, thick stalks (red or pink). |
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Strawberries |
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Choose bright, clean berries of
solid red color and with caps attached. Small
misshapen berried have poor flavor. |
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