Selecting and Arranging Fruits and Vegetables

Select fruits and vegetables that are fresh and have good color. Vegetables should be crisp. Fruits should not be overripe, soft, bruised, moldy and underripe. Choose the maturity of fruits as specified in the recipe. Infested fruits and vegetables which are blemished, covered with mold and those that are underripe or overripe should be separated from the rest and disposed of. Choose fruits and vegetables that are in season.

Method / Characteristics of the Products

1. Jam - Mature and well ripened or slightly underripe; small fruits are preferred as well as those rich in pectin and acid such as santol, guava and papaya.

2. Freezing - Uniformly ripe fruits; mature; free from blemishes; frozen as they are harvested.

3. Slating - Green mangoes, santol, cucumber, onions, cauliflower, beans and other young, fresh and tender vegetables.

4. Drying - Young, frsh and tender vegetables.

5. Jelly - Ripe fruits with very distinct flavor such as guava and santol; rich in pectin and acid.

6. Pickling - Fruits and vegetables that are frim, fresh and free from blemishes; large, dark colored cucumbers.

7. Canning - Fresh, firm and crisp vegetables.

8. Candy/ Glaze - Fruits that are firm, mature and fully ripe.