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Fruits and Vegetables
Pure Gold from Brazil
On the day EXPO celebrates fruits and vegetables,
Brazil showcases some of its gold
To celebrate the day of fruits and vegetable at EXPO, Brazil has chosen to welcome the visitors of the pavilion with a wheel-cart, positioned at the entrance of the pavilion and bearing just a few samples of the infinite variety of fruits growing in the Country.
The wheel-cart, one of the many design artifacts on display within the pavilion, is a modern interpretation of the classic ice-cream cart and it was adapted to introduce to the visitors of EXPO some of the fruits that make Brazil one of the main producers and exporters of food in the world, as well as one the Countries able to make its biodiversity a boost for its development, always with an eye to sustainability.
Brazil is the 3rd largest fruit producer in the world, behind China and India. Brazil produces tropical, subtropical and temperate fruits, thanks to its territorial extension, geographical location, soil and climatic conditions. Because of this the country has more than 500 varieties of fruit trees, of which 220 are native from Amazonia. Fruits are cultivated 2.3 million hectares of land and much of this area is in small and medium-sized rural properties.
Papaya (Mamão)
Brazil is the second largest producer of papaya, second only to India. The conditions for the culture of papaya in the Country are excellent, as cultivation is possible in all regions, during the whole year. Brazil is the third largest world exporter of papaya, mainly for the European market.
Papaya has several nutrients, including sugars, vitamin C, beta carotene and beta-criptoxatina, which are pro-vitamin A and the minerals potassium and calcium.
The carotenoids beta-carotene, beta-criptoxatina and lycopene, vitamin C and flavonoids present in papaya act as antioxidants. Studies show the relationship between the increase in the consumption of food rich in these compounds, and the decrease in risk of some chronic diseases, such as cancer and degenerative heart disease.
Passion Fruit (Maracujá)
Passion fruit culture is booming so much for consumption of fruit “in natura” as for the production of juice. Brazil is the largest producer of passion fruit in the world. In the last 10 years the Brazilian passion fruit production grew 73%.
The passion fruit originated in Tropical America, with more than 150 species used for human consumption. Most cultivated species in Brazil and in the world are the yellow passion fruit (Passifloraedulis f. flavicarpa), purple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and the sweet passion fruit (Passiflora alata).
It is a fruit rich in minerals and vitamins, especially A and C, much appreciated for the quality of its juice, pleasant aroma and flavour. The maracujina, the passiflorine and the calmofilase are pharmaceutical principles contained in the leaves of the plant, widely used as a sedative and antispasmodic.
Orange (Laranja)
Brazil is the major producer and exporter of orange juice in the world. Brazil produces more than half of the orange juice consumed in the world using less than 1% of the planted area in the country. Accounts for 55% of the world production of juice and 77% of exports. More than half of the orange juice on the planet has as origin in Brazilian orchards. Three out of every five glasses of orange juice consumed in the world are produced in Brazil.
Brazil has a genetic patrimony of approximately 2,000 types of orange, Tangerine and lemon, among the more than 210 million citrus trees. Diversification of varieties in orchards stratifies the harvest throughout the year, prevents the concentration of supply in a few months, reduces the incidence of disease, reduces the impacts of climatic fluctuations, and prolongs the period of processing juice industries.
Orange is one of the most cultivated fruit in the world, produced by Citrus sinensis, a tree from the family Rutaceae with medium height and dense, round, perennial crown. Originated in Asia – probably in China – about 4,000 years ago, orange fruit was introduced in Brazil by the Portuguese during colonization period, in the 16th century. There are hundreds of orange varieties throughout the world. In Brazil, the most common ones are oranges Bahia, Pêra, Natal, Valência, Hamlin, Westin and Rubi.
Essentially, an orange is composed of many juice sacs protected by a waxing skin, the peel. The peel contains substances responsible for the aroma and the colour of the fruit. The edible part is made of segments that contain juice sacs and seeds. The natural juice of the orange fruit contains sugar, acids, vitamins, minerals, pectin and pigments, among other components.
Vegetables
Cassava (Mandioca)
Original from South America, cassava is one of the main energy food for millions of people, especially in developing countries. Of great versatility, the culture is fully used as food – leaves, stems and roots. According to FAO, cassava became a multi-purpose culture that responds to the priorities of developing countries, the trends in the global economy and the challenge of climate change.
Mandioca is a tuberous root widely consumed in Brazil. It is important for global food security and strategic for food production, energy and starch. The culture of cassava has high productivity, and the technology for crops in large areas is totally Brazilian.
Cassava has enormous importance in food process, since it contains significant amounts of calcium (50 mg/100 g), phosphorus (40 mg/100 g) and vitamin C (25 mg/100 g). Rich in carbohydrates and fiber, cassava helps satiety and has been consumed by more and more people concerned about health, being a good carbohydrate alternative for celiac, people with acute intolerance to gluten.
Peppers (pimentas)
The peppers are part of the Brazilian cultural richness and a valuable heritage of our biodiversity. They are cultivated throughout the country in a huge range of sizes, colors, flavours and, of course, spiciness. ‘Malagueta’, ‘Dedo-de-Moça’, ‘Doce Americana’, ‘Chapéu de Bispo’, ‘Cumari Amarela’, ‘Bode’, ‘De Cheiro’, ‘Tabasco’ ‘Murupi’, ‘Biquinho’ are just some of the many peppers grown in Brazil, all close relatives of Bell Peppers.
The peppers are appetite stimulants and auxiliaries of digestion. Their intake increases gastric secretion and stimulates salivation and gastrointestinal motility, giving a sensation of well-being to the intake. As food, pepper has its nutritional side. Contains vitamin A and is an excellent source of vitamin C and B, besides having good amount of magnesium, iron and amino acids. The chemical that gives its burning character –capsaicin- is exactly what has the beneficial health properties. Capsaicin have proven medicinal properties, acts as a wound healing, antioxidant, is used to relieve muscle aches, headaches and rheumatoid arthritis, among others. In addition, influences the release of endorphins, causing a very pleasant feeling of well-being, in the elevation of mood. The same principle that causes the burning sensation of peppers –capsaicin- is also used to relieve muscle aches, headaches and rheumatoid arthritis, among other.