Why are there white spots appearing on segments of canned tangerines?
I recently opened a tin can of tangerine segments, only to find that the segments contained little white spots throughout the segments. Can anyone tell me more in regards to what the white spots are? Are they poisonous, or known to be recognized as a food borne pathogen, disease, illness, etc.
I tossed them out before realizing I could ask Seasoned Advice, so I don't have a photo.
Best Answer
Following quote is the abstract of a 1981 article, "The nature of freeze-induced white spots on orange segment walls," Raymond D. Bennett and Roger F. Albach, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 1981 29 (3), 511-514 DOI: 10.1021/jf00105a019 (full article is behind a paywall)
Emphasis mine:
Exposure of oranges to freezing conditions causes formation of white spots on the walls of the fruit segments. The spots are actually located in the tissue comprising the separation zone between segments; when two adjacent segments are pulled apart, each white spot is split in half. The chemical nature of the white spot material was previously in dispute, but it has now been shown to be microcrystalline hesperidin coating the walls of cells in the separation zone. Freezing causes damage to cell membranes, and a soluble form of hesperidin located in the cell vacuoles is thereby released and crystallizes.
Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside (naturally occurring flavor chemical) found in citrus fruits, so according to that 1981 research, the spots are caused if the orange was frozen. It can appear on oranges or tangerines.
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Quick Answer about "Why are there white spots appearing on segments of canned tangerines?"
Hesperidin is a flavanone glycoside (naturally occurring flavor chemical) found in citrus fruits, so according to that 1981 research, the spots are caused if the orange was frozen. It can appear on oranges or tangerines.What is the white stuff on tangerines?
The pith of oranges and other citrus fruits is the stringy, spongy white stuff between the peel (or zest) and the fruit. Most people strip it away before eating oranges, because they think it is bitter or inedible. Orange pith tends to be chewy, but it's tasteless not bitter.Is it okay to eat oranges with white spots?
Next time you snack on an orange and eat a bit of the pith, don't worry; this natural part of the fruit is edible and good for you. Next, read about these unique orange peel uses that are way more useful than you think.What is the white stuff in clementines?
What it is: Basically just an airier version of the white pith that lines the inside of the peel and the space between segments. It's called albedo.How do you know when tangerines go bad?
How To Tell If a Tangerine Is Bad?- Are soft to the touch, shriveled, or oozing water. Either means the fruit has lost much of its water content and is no good quality-wise. ...
- Are rotten or moldy. Of course, if only a small area is affected, you can cut it off after peeling and eat the rest.
- Smell off.
Fruiterra Canned Mandarin Segments Production
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