The grapefruit is an evergreen tree, Citrus paradise, of the Rutaceae family, and its fruit is the largest of the commercially grown citrus fruit.
Grapefruits are borne on small trees that rarely exceed 6 m (20 ft) in height. The dense foliage consists of shiny, dark-green leaves with winged petioles. The large white flowers produce yellow, globe-shaped fruit in grapelike clusters.
The grapefruit is known for its sour to semi-sour flavor, It contains grapefruit mercaptan, a sulphur, which in turn contain sterpene, influencing its flavor.
The fruits vary from 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in diameter and consist of a juicy, acid pulp surrounded by a leathery rind. The color of the pulp is normally light yellow, but a few pink-pulped varieties have been developed.
More than 20 varieties of grapefruit have been propagated in the United States. The major yellow-pulped varieties are Duncan and Marsh; the major pink-pulped varieties are Ruby and Webb.
The grapefruit is readily crossed with other members of the citrus genus. The tangelo, a Florida juice fruit, was produced by fertilization of grapefruit flowers with mandarin orange pollen.
The highest consumption of grapefruit and its juice is in China and the United States, being commonly served at breakfast.
In the United States, grapefruit juice is regularly consumed by about 21% of all households. It has been reported that about half of the total grapefruit production in the United States is mainly processed into juice.
Properties of grapefruit
