The
lemon is both a small
evergreen tree (
Citrus × limon, often given as
C. limon) native to Asia, and the tree's oval yellow fruit. The fruit is used for culinary and nonculinary purposes throughout the world – primarily for its
juice, though the pulp and
rind (
zest) are also used, mainly in
cooking and
baking.
Lemon juice is about 5% to 6% (approximately 0.3
M)
citric acid, which gives lemons a sour taste, and a
pH of 2 to 3. This makes lemon juice an inexpensive, readily available
acid for use in educational science experiments. Many lemon-flavored drinks and candies are available, including
lemonade and
sherbet lemons. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in many dishes across the world.
History
The exact origin of the lemon has remained a mystery, though it is widely presumed that lemons first grew in
India, northern
Burma, and
China. In South and South East Asia, it was known for its antiseptic properties and it was used as an antidote for various poisons. Lemons entered
Europe (near southern
Italy) no later than the 1st century AD, during the time of
Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated. It was later introduced to
Persia and then to
Iraq and
Egypt around AD 700. The lemon was first recorded in literature in a 10th century
Arabic treatise on farming, and was also used as an ornamental plant in early
Islamic gardens.
The first substantial lemon cultivation in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th century.
In 1747, James Lind's experiments on seamen suffering from scurvy involved adding vitamin C to their diets with lemon juice.
The etymological path of the word lemon suggests a Middle Eastern origin. One of the earliest occurrences of "lemon" is found in a Middle English customs document of 1420–1421, which draws from the Old French limon, thence the Italian limone, from the Arabic laymūn or līmūn, from the Persian līmūn.
Varieties
Bush lemon tree
:This naturalized lemon grows wild in subtropical Australia. They are very hardy, and have a thick skin with a true lemon flavour; the zest is good for cooking. It grows to about 4m in a sunny position.
Eureka photo
:Because it grows year-round and abundantly, this is the common supermarket lemon.
Lisbon photo
:A good quality bitter lemon with high juice and acid levels, the fruits of Lisbon are very similar to Eureka. The vigorous and productive trees are very thorny, particularly when young.
Meyer photo
:This is a cross between a lemon and possibly an orange or a mandarin, and was named for Frank N. Meyer, who first discovered it in 1908. Thin-skinned and slightly less acidic than the Lisbon and Eureka lemons, Meyer lemons require more care when shipping and are not widely grown on a commercial basis.
Ponderosa photo
:The tree is very hardy and can handle frosts; the fruit are thick-skinned and very large.
Variegated Pink photo
Verna
:A Spanish variety of unknown origin
Villafranca
Yen Ben
:An Australasian cultivar
Yuzu photo
Nutritional value
The average lemon contains approximately 3 tablespoons of juice. Allowing lemons to come to room temperature before squeezing (or heating briefly in a
microwave) makes the juice easier to extract. Lemons left unrefrigerated for long periods of time are susceptible to
mold.
{|
|
|}
Culinary uses
Lemon juice, rind, and zest are used in a wide variety of culinary applications:
Lemon juice is used to make lemonade, soft drinks, and marinades for both fish, where its acid neutralizes amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts, and meat, where the acid partially hydrolyzes tough collagen fibers, tenderizing the meat, but the low pH denatures the proteins, causing them to dry out when cooked.
Lemon juice is also used as a short-term preservative on certain foods that tend to oxidize and turn brown after being sliced, such as apples, bananas and avocados, where its acid denatures the enzymes which cause browning and degradation. Lemon juice and rind are used to make marmalade and lemon liqueur.
Lemon slices and lemon rind are used a garnish for both food and drinks.
Lemon zest, the grated outer rind of the fruit, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice and other dishes.
Pickled lemons are a Moroccan delicacy.
Nonculinary uses
in the
Galilee of
Israel]]
Aromatherapy, first aid and medicine
In one of the most comprehensive scientific investigations done yet, researchers at The Ohio State University revealed lemon oil aroma used in
aromatherapy does not influence the human
immune system, but may enhance mood.
The low pH of juice makes it antibacterial.
Commercial use
Lemons were the primary commercial source of citric acid prior to the development of fermentation-based processes.
A halved lemon is used as a finger moistener for those counting large amounts of bills, such as tellers and cashiers.
Electrical conductance
A popular science experiment in schools involves attaching
electrodes to a lemon and using it as a
battery to produce electricity. Although very low power, several
lemon batteries can power a small digital watch. These experiments also work with other fruits and vegetables.
Household use
The peel oil is used as a wood cleaner and polish, where the solvent property of d-limonene is employed to dissolve old wax, fingerprints, and grime.
A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking powder can be used to brighten copper cookware. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning.
As a sanitary kitchen
deodorizer the juice can deodorize, remove grease, bleach stains, and disinfect; when mixed with baking soda, it can remove stains from plastic food storage containers.
Insecticide
The d-limonene in lemon oil is used as a nontoxic insecticide treatment. See orange oil.
Lemon alternatives
Many plants are noted to taste or smell similar to lemons.
Certain cultivars of basil
Cymbopogon (lemon grass)
Lemon balm, a hybrid Pelargonium x melissinum (scented "geranium")
Lemon myrtle, recently, this
Australian bush food has become a popular alternative to lemons. The crushed and dried leaves and edible
essential oils have a strong, sweet lemon taste, but contain no citric acid. Lemon myrtle is popular in foods that curdle with lemon juice, such as
cheesecake and
ice cream.
Lemon thyme
Lemon verbena
Limes are often used instead of lemons.
Certain cultivars of mint
Production
India tops the production list with about 16% of the world's overall lemon and lime output, followed by Mexico (~14.5%), Argentina (~10%), Brazil (~8%) and Spain (~7%).
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="float:left; clear:left;"
|-
! colspan=3|Top Ten Lemons and Limes Producers — 2007
|-
! style="background:#ddf; width:25%;"| Country
! style="background:#ddf; width:15%;"| Production (Tonnes)
|-
| || align=right |2,060,000F
|-
| || align=right |1,880,000F
|-
| || align=right |1,260,000F
|-
| || align=right |1,060,000F
|-
| || align=right |880,000F
|-
| || align=right |745,100F
|-
| || align=right |722,000
|-
| || align=right |706,652
|-
| || align=right |615,000F
|-
| || align=right |546,584
|- style="background:#ccc;"
|| World
| style="text-align:right;"| 13,032,388F
|-
|colspan=5 style="font-size:.7em"|No symbol = official figure, F = FAO estimate, A = Aggregate(may include official, semi-official or estimates);
Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division
|}
References
External links
(Purdue University) Morton, Julia F. 1987. "Lemon". pp. 160–168, in Fruits of warm climates. (Julia F. Morton, Miami)
PlantFiles: Citrus x meyeri 'Meyer'
When LIFE Hands You Lemons - slideshow by Life magazine
Category:Hybrid Citrus
Category:Tropical agriculture
Category:Persian loanwords
