different kinds of fruit.
Navel oranges probably originated in
China, but became a major commodity
worldwide when a Brazilian variety arrived in
the United States in 1870. The navel-like
appearance of their blossom end is caused by
the development of a small secondary set of
segments. Navels are the ideal orange for
eating fresh because they’re seedless and
easily peeled. However, the trees are finicky
to grow, and their juice contains fewer fruity
esters than the best juice varieties. And juice
made from navel oranges will become
noticeably bitter after about 30 minutes. This
happens because when the juice cells are
broken and their contents mixed, acids and
enzymes convert a tasteless precursor
molecule into an intensely bitter terpene
compound called limonin.
Citrus Family Relationships