Science is constantly evolving, seeking solutions to life's challenges. This is the story of how scientists in Valencia invented a new fruit from the persimmon , a beloved fruit with some areas for improvement in everyday life. Thus, the persimmon was born.
How is the Persimmon?
This fruit is quite recent in its development. Its orange color is closer to a peach than a persimmon (which is more reddish), and its skin is shiny and smooth like a nectarine. Its texture is similar to that of an apple , and in fact, it can be eaten in bites like one. Its flavor is sweet and mild , similar to an apricot.
This fruit can be eaten like any other fruit and is also perfect in desserts such as cakes or yogurt, but also in juices as a main ingredient or juices from different fruits.
"Persimon" is actually more than just the name of the fruit; it's a brand . But the brand name is so closely associated with the fruit that we already refer to it by that name, just like with other brands such as "Kleenex" or "Danone."
This fruit that can now be seen in greengrocers and supermarkets whenever it is in season (it is an autumn fruit) and even when it is not, in reality… a few years ago it did not exist. Then you will ask yourself, where did it come from?
From persimmon to persimmon
The persimmon isn't an exotic fruit that was imported, which is why we hadn't heard of it. It's a fruit born from science; it's a Spanish invention , and more specifically, one created by scientists from Valencia.
Using persimmon as a base, and employing various agricultural improvements in addition to post-harvest handling of the resulting crops, a new fruit was obtained.
The persimmon is indeed an imported fruit, specifically from China in the 17th century. Throughout the Mediterranean, this fruit has evolved into different varieties depending on the region where it was cultivated. However, virtually all varieties shared similar characteristics.
Persimmon in Spain
In Spain, it was cultivated in Andalusia, Valencia, and Catalonia. However, it must be said that it wasn't a fruit that Spaniards particularly favored. These early persimmons were small, hard, and rather bland , which is why they weren't a favorite among most people. Furthermore, the trees produced few fruits. All of this made the original persimmon a fruit that wasn't profitable for farmers, as it didn't justify the effort involved in producing it.
With the arrival of the 20th century, a new variety of persimmon emerged in Valencian plantations: Rojo Brillante (Brilliant Red). This variety quickly became popular. It was larger, the trees produced more fruit, and it had a wonderful flavor. The name "Rojo Brillante" stuck in the 1970s, precisely because of its appearance.
The persimmon problem
The sweet taste of Rojo Brillante ended up leaving a less than pleasant sensation on the tongue— a rough feeling due to the astringency of the tannins present in the persimmon. The solution was to wait until the fruit was very ripe, when the tannins begin to dissipate.
As the persimmon ripens, it releases ethanol, which causes the tannins to evaporate and eliminates the sensation they produce on the tongue. This has helped to avoid the harsh taste that so many people seemed to dislike.
The solution created a new problem. We all know what a persimmon is like: very sweet and very soft. This softness posed a major problem for transportation. This was a huge difficulty for farmers who had to sell their produce and found long-distance transport almost impossible. They had achieved a good product, but it could only be sold near where it was grown.
Sharon Persimmons
The Israeli persimmon variety also had the same problems we've discussed, but scientists in the country managed to eliminate the astringency left by the tannins without having to wait for the persimmon to over-ripen. This procedure was applied after the fruit was harvested; it wasn't a modification to create another variety, but rather the method was applied directly to the harvested fruit.
In the 90s, some twenty years after this Israeli invention, scientists in Valencia set out to do the same and succeeded . The idea was to make the tannins evaporate without the fruit ripening and therefore becoming soft.
If the tannins evaporated with the natural ethanol released by the fruit as it ripened, the solution was to expose the fruit to ethanol. The key to the process was harvesting the unripe fruit, when its flesh was still firm, and fumigating it with ethanol to achieve the same effect the fruit produced naturally. They found that approximately one day of exposure was sufficient.
Persimmon is born
This new fruit is essentially a modified persimmon, designed to retain its firmness while also making it more palatable . This has significantly increased its marketability, leading to greater production and, consequently, a much larger supply.
Speaking in figures: from cultivating around 2.000 hectares yielding about 21 tons of persimmons in 2000 to cultivating almost 16.000 hectares with a harvest of more than 300.000 tons of persimmons in 2017. Of all these pieces of fruit, most are exported to Europe.
As we can see, the Persimmon has spread throughout Europe thanks to these improvements developed through agriculture and science. On the other hand, the traditional persimmon continues to be consumed in areas near the fields where it is grown, and many still appreciate its characteristic soft texture.
I hope you found this article about the Persimon kaki, invented by scientists , interesting. It's always good to keep discovering what surrounds us and to be interested in the curiosities behind it.