1. Fruit and Nuts
© PDST Home Economics

2. Nuts
A fruit of a plant that consists of a hard shell surrounding a soft kernel
Popular examples: Almonds, Brazil nuts, Cashew nuts, Coconuts, Hazelnuts, Pecans, Pistachio nuts, Peanuts (ground nuts/ monkey nuts), Walnuts

3. Nuts

4. Nutritive Value of Nuts
Protein: Good source of LBV protein
Fat: High in polyunsaturated fats therefore high in calories
Carbohydrates: Good source cellulose especially peanuts & hazelnuts
Vitamins: Small amount vitamins B
Minerals: Contain Iron and Calcium
Water: Low about 5%

5. % Composition of 100g of Peanuts
Protein: 28.1%
Fat: 49%
Carbohydrates: 8.6% fibre
Vitamins: B1 (0.23mg), B2 (0.10mg), Niacin (20mg)
Minerals: Calcium (61mg, RDA 800mg), (Iron 2mg, RDA 10mg)
Water: 5%
Kilocalories per 100g: 586

6. Dietetic Value of Nuts
Can function as a source of protein in a main course vegan dish
Add texture & variety to meals
Can be used in sweet & savoury dishes
Keep well, easy to store
Available whole, flaked, chopped, ground
High in calories must be restricted in low calorie diets
Some people are allergic to nuts and must avoid them

7. Uses in Cookery
Vegan main course e.g. nut loaf or vegetable and nut stir fry
Ingredient in many biscuits, cakes, sweets, desserts e.g. pear & almond tart
Used in salads to add protein, fat, texture e.g. waldorf salad
Toppings sprinkled on desserts e.g. flaked almonds on top of strudle.
Healthy snack or part of packed lunch e.g. cashew nuts
Almond paste (marzipan) icing on cakes or used for sweets

8. Fruits
Eaten for vitamins especially vitamin C, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, water, colour, flavour texture

9. Classification of Fruit
Citrus
Hard fruit
Stone fruit
Berries
Other
Lemons
Oranges
Limes
Grapefruit
Plums
Apricot
Peaches
Nectarines
Cherries
Mango
**Avocados
**Olives
Blackberries
Strawberries
Blueberries
Raspberries
Gooseberries
Blackcurrants
Banana
Pineapple
Grapes
Figs
Dates
Kiwi
Rhubarb

10. Average Composition of Fresh Fruit
Protein
Fat
Carbo-hydrates
Vitamins
Minerals
Water
0.5% 0%
5-10%
A, C
Calcium
Iron
80-90%

11. Nutritive Value of Fruit
Protein: Fruit lacks protein.
Fat: Fruit lacks fat except for avocados and olives.
Carbohydrates: Sugar is in all fruit in the form of sucrose, glucose and fructose. Starch is found in under-ripe fruit. Pectin is found in ripe fruit cell walls Cellulose (fibre) is found in the cell walls also especially pears, apples, oranges, melons.
Vitamins: All fruit has vitamin C especially blackcurrants, strawberries, citrus and kiwi. Yellow/orange/red fruit has beta carotene (pro vitamin A).
Minerals: Small amount iron and calcium. Bananas good for Potassium.
Water: All fruit has high water content.

12. Dietetic Value of Fruit
Add greatly to the variety of colours, flavours and textures in the diet.
Useful in low calorie diets, low cholesterol and high fibre diets because high in water & fibre and low in fat.
Anti-oxidants vitamin C and beta carotene help prevent heart disease, cancer etc..
Can be eaten raw or cooked in a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes.
Healthy snack, cheap and needs no preparation except washing and perhaps peeling.

13. Buying & Storing Fruit Buying In season Usable amount
Good quality, ripe
Avoid pre-packed
Firm, good colour, no discolouration or mould
Storing
Cool, dark, ventilated place.
Use quickly
Remove packaging
Remove spoiled or damaged fruit

14. Preparing and effects of cooking
Wash to remove chemicals
Eat raw when possible
Don’t peel or peel thinly
Avoid steeping in water
Use sharp stainless steel knife
Effects of Cooking
Vitamin C destroyed
Minerals and vitamins dissolve into coking liquid
Cellulose & texture softens
Microbes killed
Enzymes destroyed
Absorb water and swell
Over cooking causes loss of colour, texture flavour

15. Ripening of Fruit
Ripening begins during growth and continues after harvesting
Unripe fruit is less palatable than ripe
Changes that happen during ripening:
Enzymes change starch to sugar making fruit sweet and juicy
Insoluble pectose changes to soluble pectin
Ethylene gas that helps ripening is made in some fruit (bananas)
Fruit changes colour, texture and flavour

16. Decaying of Fruit
Once ripe, fruit only stays good for a while, then it decays
Softer fruit with thin skin e.g. grapes, decay faster than hard fruit with tougher skin e.g. pears
Changes during decay:
Water loss and shrinkage
Bruises & soft spots develop
Enzymes and microbes attack the fruit
Juices released onto surface make mould and yeast grow, these rot the fruit

17. Processing Fruit Method Suitable Fruit Effects Freezing Berries Apples
Rhubarb
Enzymes & microbes inactivated
Texture changes – ice crystals
Not much change to food value, colour, texture
Canning
Pears
Peaches
Mandarines
Pineapple
Change in colour flavour texture
Loss of vitamin C
Enzymes & microbes destroyed
If canned in syrup, higher in sugar and calories
Dehydration
Raisins
Prunes
Figs
Currents
Loss of water and vitamins
Enzymes and microbes destroyed
Texture, colour and taste changes
Higher in sugar due to less water
Irradiation
not allowed in EU
Dried fruit
Microbes and enzymes destroyed
Prevents sprouting and decay
Resembles fresh fruit, some vit loss

18. Organic Produce
Grown without use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides or preservatives
In Ireland 320 organic fruit & vegetable growers
Increase demand due to awareness of dangers of overuse of chemicals
Organic farming less intensive and must comply with rules on fertilisers, pest, weed and disease control
Organic certificate can only be got from 3 agencies recognise by Dept of Agriculture:
1. The Irish Organic farmers and growers association.
2. Organic Trust Ltd.
3. Demeter Standards (Biodynamic Agriculture Association)
Organic products will carry the symbol of one of these associations
Because organic farming is more labour intensive and has lower yields products are more expensive

19. Symbols of Organic Certification Organisations