Iglesia is a department of the province of San Juan , Argentina . It is located in the northwest mountainous corner of this province with substantial vegetation. Iglesia is one of the most visited departments in the province, particularly around Rodeo .
76-525: Nearly 30 percent of the cultivated area is dedicated to logging. Next in land area are pasture and seeds (garlic, beans, lettuce, onions, peas). Fruit, cereals, vegetables and aromatics are minor crops. Local farmers breed goats and sheep on the grassland. Significant gold and silver mining occupy the Cordillera iglesiana, including the Veladero mine , which began production in 2005. Located 375 kilometers from
152-561: A risk factor for cardiovascular diseases . Fruit consumption is under preliminary research for the potential to improve nutrition and affect chronic diseases. Regular consumption of fruit is generally associated with reduced risks of several diseases and functional declines associated with aging. For food safety , the CDC recommends proper fruit handling and preparation to reduce the risk of food contamination and foodborne illness . Fresh fruits and vegetables should be carefully selected; at
228-568: A "plant grown for food" was not established until the 18th century. In 1767, the word was specifically used to mean a "plant cultivated for food, an edible herb or root". The year 1955 saw the first use of the shortened, slang term "veggie". As an adjective , the word vegetable is used in scientific and technical contexts with a different and much broader meaning, namely of "related to plants" in general, edible or not—as in vegetable matter , vegetable kingdom , vegetable origin , etc. The exact definition of "vegetable" may vary simply because of
304-450: A blackberry is an aggregate-accessory fruit, and an apple is a simple-accessory fruit. Seedlessness is an important feature of some fruits of commerce. Commercial cultivars of bananas and pineapples are examples of seedless fruits . Some cultivars of citrus fruits (especially grapefruit , mandarin oranges , navel oranges , satsumas ), table grapes , and of watermelons are valued for their seedlessness. In some species, seedlessness
380-495: A day often being recommended. The word vegetable was first recorded in English in the early 15th century. It comes from Old French , and was originally applied to all plants; the word is still used in this sense in biological contexts. It derives from Medieval Latin vegetabilis "growing, flourishing" (i.e. of a plant), a semantic change from a Late Latin meaning "to be enlivening, quickening". The meaning of "vegetable" as
456-518: A head, is produced first. After fertilization , each flower in the cluster develops into a drupe; as the drupes expand, they develop as a connate organ, merging into a multiple fleshy fruit called a syncarp . Progressive stages of multiple flowering and fruit development can be observed on a single branch of the Indian mulberry, or noni . During the sequence of development, a progression of second, third, and more inflorescences are initiated in turn at
532-644: A new plant some distance away from the parent. Other fruits have evolved flattened and elongated wings or helicopter-like blades, e.g., elm , maple , and tuliptree . This mechanism increases dispersal distance away from the parent via wind. Other wind-dispersed fruit have tiny " parachutes ", e.g., dandelion , milkweed , salsify . Coconut fruits can float thousands of miles in the ocean, thereby spreading their seeds. Other fruits that can disperse via water are nipa palm and screw pine . Some fruits have evolved propulsive mechanisms that fling seeds substantial distances – perhaps up to 100 m (330 ft) in
608-680: A number of different forms from a wide range of families, including carrot , parsnip , parsley , cumin . An aggregate fruit is also called an aggregation, or etaerio ; it develops from a single flower that presents numerous simple pistils . Each pistil contains one carpel ; together, they form a fruitlet. The ultimate (fruiting) development of the aggregation of pistils is called an aggregate fruit , etaerio fruit , or simply an etaerio . Different types of aggregate fruits can produce different etaerios, such as achenes, drupelets, follicles, and berries. Some other broadly recognized species and their etaerios (or aggregations) are: The pistils of
684-400: A precise botanical meaning, being a part that developed from the ovary of a flowering plant . This is considerably different from the word's culinary meaning. While peaches , plums , and oranges are "fruit" in both senses, many items commonly called "vegetables", such as eggplants , bell peppers , and tomatoes , are botanically fruits. The question of whether the tomato is a fruit or
760-442: A prominent pointed terminal projection is said to be beaked . A fruit results from the fertilizing and maturing of one or more flowers. The gynoecium , which contains the stigma-style-ovary system, is centered in the flower-head, and it forms all or part of the fruit. Inside the ovary(ies) are one or more ovules . Here begins a complex sequence called double fertilization : a female gametophyte produces an egg cell for
836-555: A short period, whereas a temperature of −18 °C (0 °F) is required for longer-term storage. The enzyme action will merely be inhibited, and blanching of suitably sized prepared vegetables before freezing mitigates this and prevents off-flavors developing. Not all micro-organisms will be killed at these temperatures and after thawing the vegetables should be used promptly because otherwise, any microbes present may proliferate. Traditionally, sun drying has been used for some products such as tomatoes, mushrooms, and beans, spreading
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#1732884678702912-404: A single flower with numerous pistils typically produces an aggregate fruit ; and the merging of several flowers, or a 'multiple' of flowers, results in a 'multiple' fruit. A simple fruit is further classified as either dry or fleshy. To distribute their seeds, dry fruits may split open and discharge their seeds to the winds, which is called dehiscence . Or the distribution process may rely upon
988-487: A thick porridge was made of emmer wheat or beans, accompanied by green vegetables but little meat, and fish was not esteemed. The Romans grew broad beans, peas, onions and turnips and ate the leaves of beets rather than their roots. Vegetables play an important role in human nutrition. Most are low in fat and calories but are bulky and filling. They supply dietary fiber and are important sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and trace elements. Particularly important are
1064-404: A tropical jungle clearing is thought to be the first example of agriculture; useful plant species were identified and encouraged to grow while undesirable species were removed. Plant breeding through the selection of strains with desirable traits such as large fruit and vigorous growth soon followed. While the first evidence for the domestication of grasses such as wheat and barley has been found in
1140-702: A vegetable found its way into the United States Supreme Court in 1893. The court ruled unanimously in Nix v. Hedden that a tomato is correctly identified as, and thus taxed as, a vegetable, for the purposes of the Tariff of 1883 on imported produce. The court did acknowledge, however, that, botanically speaking, a tomato is a fruit. Before the advent of agriculture , humans were hunter-gatherers . They foraged for edible fruit, nuts, stems, leaves, corms , and tubers and hunted animals for food. Forest gardening in
1216-458: A vegetable is harvested, it is cut off from its source of water and nourishment. It continues to transpire and loses moisture as it does so, a process most noticeable in the wilting of green leafy crops. Harvesting root vegetables when they are fully mature improves their storage life, but alternatively, these root crops can be left in the ground and harvested over an extended period. The harvesting process should seek to minimise damage and bruising to
1292-859: Is a type of fruit (and not a seed), and a seed is a ripened ovule . In culinary language, a fruit is the sweet- or not sweet- (even sour-) tasting produce of a specific plant (e.g., a peach, pear or lemon); nuts are hard, oily, non-sweet plant produce in shells ( hazelnut , acorn ). Vegetables , so-called, typically are savory or non-sweet produce ( zucchini , lettuce, broccoli, and tomato). but some may be sweet-tasting (sweet potato). Examples of botanically classified fruit that are typically called vegetables include cucumber , pumpkin , and squash (all are cucurbits ); beans , peanuts , and peas (all legumes ); and corn , eggplant , bell pepper (or sweet pepper), and tomato. Many spices are fruits, botanically speaking, including black pepper , chili pepper , cumin and allspice . In contrast, rhubarb
1368-470: Is another method of preserving vegetables for later use. Sauerkraut is made from chopped cabbage and relies on lactic acid bacteria which produce compounds that are inhibitory to the growth of other micro-organisms. In 2010, China was the largest vegetable producing nation, with over half the world's production. India, the United States, Turkey, Iran, and Egypt were the next largest producers. China had
1444-471: Is determined based upon the standard portion sizes typically consumed, as well as general nutritional content. Potatoes are not included in the count as they are mainly providers of starch. For most vegetables and vegetable juices, one serving is half of a cup and can be eaten raw or cooked. For leafy greens, such as lettuce and spinach , a single serving is typically a full cup. A variety of products should be chosen as no single fruit or vegetable provides all
1520-427: Is not a fruit or seed, but including mature fruits that are eaten as part of a main meal". Falling outside these definitions are edible fungi (such as edible mushrooms ) and edible seaweed which, although not parts of plants , are often treated as vegetables. In the latter-mentioned definition of "vegetable", which is used in everyday language, the words "fruit" and "vegetable" are mutually exclusive. "Fruit" has
1596-417: Is often called a fruit when used in making pies , but the edible produce of rhubarb is actually the leaf stalk or petiole of the plant. Edible gymnosperm seeds are often given fruit names, e.g., ginkgo nuts and pine nuts . Botanically, a cereal grain, such as corn , rice , or wheat is a kind of fruit (termed a caryopsis ). However, the fruit wall is thin and fused to the seed coat, so almost all
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#17328846787021672-810: Is pressed for olive oil and similar processing is applied to other oil-bearing fruits and vegetables. Some fruits are available all year round, while others (such as blackberries and apricots in the UK) are subject to seasonal availability. Fruits are also used for socializing and gift-giving in the form of fruit baskets and fruit bouquets . Typically, many botanical fruits – "vegetables" in culinary parlance – (including tomato, green beans, leaf greens, bell pepper, cucumber, eggplant, okra, pumpkin, squash, zucchini) are bought and sold daily in fresh produce markets and greengroceries and carried back to kitchens, at home or restaurant, for preparation of meals. All fruits benefit from proper post-harvest care, and in many fruits,
1748-556: Is still commonly used and is applied to plants collectively to refer to all edible plant matter, including the flowers , fruits , stems , leaves , roots , and seeds . An alternative definition of the term is applied somewhat arbitrarily, often by culinary and cultural tradition. It may exclude foods derived from some plants that are fruits, flowers , nuts , and cereal grains, but include savoury fruits such as tomatoes and courgettes , flowers such as broccoli , and seeds such as pulses . Originally, vegetables were collected from
1824-732: Is the largest producer of vegetables, and global trade in agricultural products allows consumers to purchase vegetables grown in faraway countries. The scale of production varies from subsistence farmers supplying the needs of their family for food, to agribusinesses with vast acreages of single-product crops. Depending on the type of vegetable concerned, harvesting the crop is followed by grading, storing, processing, and marketing. Vegetables can be eaten either raw or cooked and play an important role in human nutrition, being mostly low in fat and carbohydrates, but high in vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber . Many nutritionists encourage people to consume plenty of fruit and vegetables, five or more portions
1900-522: Is the result of parthenocarpy , where fruits set without fertilization. Parthenocarpic fruit-set may (or may not) require pollination, but most seedless citrus fruits require a stimulus from pollination to produce fruit. Seedless bananas and grapes are triploids , and seedlessness results from the abortion of the embryonic plant that is produced by fertilization, a phenomenon known as stenospermocarpy , which requires normal pollination and fertilization. Variations in fruit structures largely depend on
1976-505: The pericarp (fruit wall) is fleshy at maturity are termed fleshy simple fruits . Types of fleshy simple fruits, (with examples) include: Berries are a type of simple fleshy fruit that issue from a single ovary. (The ovary itself may be compound, with several carpels.) The botanical term true berry includes grapes, currants, cucumbers, eggplants (aubergines), tomatoes, chili peppers, and bananas, but excludes certain fruits that are called "-berry" by culinary custom or by common usage of
2052-598: The Fertile Crescent in the Middle East, it is likely that various peoples around the world started growing crops in the period 10,000 BC to 7,000 BC. Subsistence agriculture continues to this day, with many rural farmers in Africa, Asia, South America, and elsewhere using their plots of land to produce enough food for their families, while any surplus produce is used for exchange for other goods. Throughout recorded history,
2128-505: The Incas subsisted on maize in the lowlands and potatoes at higher altitudes. They also used seeds from quinoa , supplementing their diet with peppers, tomatoes, and avocados. In Ancient China , rice was the staple crop in the south and wheat in the north, the latter made into dumplings , noodles , and pancakes . Vegetables used to accompany these included yams , soybeans , broad beans , turnips , spring onions , and garlic . The diet of
2204-603: The modes of dispersal applied to their seeds. Dispersal is achieved by wind or water, by explosive dehiscence , and by interactions with animals. Some fruits present their outer skins or shells coated with spikes or hooked burrs; these evolved either to deter would-be foragers from feeding on them or to serve to attach themselves to the hair, feathers, legs, or clothing of animals, thereby using them as dispersal agents. These plants are termed zoochorous ; common examples include cocklebur , unicorn plant , and beggarticks (or Spanish needle) . By developments of mutual evolution,
2280-434: The raspberry are called drupelets because each pistil is like a small drupe attached to the receptacle. In some bramble fruits, such as blackberry , the receptacle, an accessory part, elongates and then develops as part of the fruit, making the blackberry an aggregate-accessory fruit. The strawberry is also an aggregate-accessory fruit, of which the seeds are contained in the achenes . Notably in all these examples,
2356-401: The vitamin C in them degrades rapidly. A few products such as potatoes and onions have better keeping qualities and can be sold when higher prices may be available, and by extending the marketing season, a greater total volume of crop can be sold. If refrigerated storage is not available, the priority for most crops is to store high-quality produce, to maintain a high humidity level, and to keep
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2432-412: The (deposited) pollen through the stigma down the style into the ovary to the ovule. Two sperm are transferred from the pollen to a megagametophyte. Within the megagametophyte, one sperm unites with the egg, forming a zygote , while the second sperm enters the central cell forming the endosperm mother cell, which completes the double fertilization process. Later, the zygote will give rise to the embryo of
2508-473: The United States. These foods are commonly eaten raw and may become contaminated during their preparation by an infected food handler. Hygiene is important when handling foods to be eaten raw, and such products need to be properly cleaned, handled, and stored to limit contamination. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming five to nine servings of fruit and vegetables daily. The total amount consumed will vary according to age and gender, and
2584-427: The actions of naturally-occurring enzymes and the spoilage caused by micro-organisms . Canning and freezing are the most commonly used techniques, and vegetables preserved by these methods are generally similar in nutritional value to comparable fresh products with regards to carotenoids , vitamin E , minerals . and dietary fiber . Canning is a process during which the enzymes in vegetables are deactivated and
2660-577: The ancient Egyptians was based on bread , often contaminated with sand which wore away their teeth. Meat was a luxury but fish was more plentiful. These were accompanied by a range of vegetables including marrows, broad beans, lentils, onions, leeks, garlic, radishes, and lettuces. The mainstay of the Ancient Greek diet was bread, and this was accompanied by goat's cheese, olives, figs, fish, and occasionally meat. The vegetables grown included onions, garlic, cabbages, melons, and lentils. In Ancient Rome ,
2736-860: The antioxidant vitamins A , C , and E . When vegetables are included in the diet, there is found to be a reduction in the incidence of cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic ailments. Research has shown that, compared with individuals who eat less than three servings of fruits and vegetables each day, those that eat more than five servings have an approximately twenty percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease or stroke. The nutritional content of vegetables varies considerably; some contain useful amounts of protein though generally they contain little fat , and varying proportions of vitamins such as vitamin A , vitamin K , and vitamin B 6 ; provitamins ; dietary minerals ; and carbohydrates . The consumption of crunchy and hard to chew foods, such as raw vegetables, during youth, while
2812-408: The attachment of other floral parts – there are parts (including petals, sepals, and stamens) that fuse with the ovary and ripen with it. For such a case, when floral parts other than the ovary form a significant part of the fruit that develops, it is called an accessory fruit . Examples of accessory fruits include apple, rose hip, strawberry, and pineapple. Because several parts of the flower besides
2888-642: The bones are still growing, is needed for the human's, and other animals', jaws' proper development, and without their consumption, the jaws do not grow to their full size, thus not leaving enough room for the teeth to grow in correctly, causing crooked and impacted teeth. However, vegetables often also contain toxins and antinutrients which interfere with the absorption of nutrients. These include α-solanine , α-chaconine , enzyme inhibitors (of cholinesterase , protease , amylase , etc.), cyanide and cyanide precursors , oxalic acid , tannins and others. These toxins are natural defenses, used to ward off
2964-436: The botanical names of sixty-one species of plants used as vegetables along with the common names of the vegetables in English, French, and Russian. ISO 67.080.20 covers the storage and transport of vegetables and their derived products. Fruit In botany , a fruit is the seed -bearing structure in flowering plants (angiosperms) that is formed from the ovary after flowering (see Fruit anatomy ). Fruits are
3040-890: The case of the sandbox tree – via explosive dehiscence or other such mechanisms (see impatiens and squirting cucumber ). A cornucopia of fruits – fleshy (simple) fruits from apples to berries to watermelon; dry (simple) fruits including beans and rice and coconuts; aggregate fruits including strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pawpaw; and multiple fruits such as pineapple, fig, mulberries – are commercially valuable as human food. They are eaten both fresh and as jams, marmalade and other fruit preserves . They are used extensively in manufactured and processed foods (cakes, cookies, baked goods, flavorings, ice cream, yogurt, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables and meals) and beverages such as fruit juices and alcoholic beverages (brandy, fruit beer , wine). Spices like vanilla, black pepper, paprika, and allspice are derived from berries. Olive fruit
3116-533: The city of San Juan, the project is run by Minera Argentina Gold (MAGSA), a subsidiary of Barrick Gold . 30°11′S 69°09′W / 30.183°S 69.150°W / -30.183; -69.150 This article about a place in San Juan Province , Argentina is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Vegetables Vegetables are parts of plants that are consumed by humans or other animals as food . The original meaning
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3192-527: The crop. Onions and garlic can be dried for a few days in the field and root crops such as potatoes benefit from a short maturation period in warm, moist surroundings, during which time wounds heal and the skin thickens up and hardens. Before marketing or storage, grading needs to be done to remove damaged goods and select produce according to its quality, size, ripeness, and color. All vegetables benefit from proper post harvest care. A large proportion of vegetables and perishable foods are lost after harvest during
3268-490: The decay and degradation of the fruit to expose the seeds; or it may rely upon the eating of fruit and excreting of seeds by frugivores – both are called indehiscence . Fleshy fruits do not split open, but they also are indehiscent and they may also rely on frugivores for distribution of their seeds. Typically, the entire outer layer of the ovary wall ripens into a potentially edible pericarp . Types of dry simple fruits, (with examples) include: Fruits in which part or all of
3344-401: The edible grain-fruit is actually a seed. The outer layer, often edible, of most fruits is called the pericarp . Typically formed from the ovary, it surrounds the seeds; in some species, however, other structural tissues contribute to or form the edible portion. The pericarp may be described in three layers from outer to inner, i.e., the epicarp , mesocarp and endocarp . Fruit that bears
3420-477: The fleshy produce of fruits typically appeals to hungry animals, such that the seeds contained within are taken in, carried away, and later deposited (i.e., defecated ) at a distance from the parent plant. Likewise, the nutritious, oily kernels of nuts typically motivate birds and squirrels to hoard them, burying them in soil to retrieve later during the winter of scarcity; thereby, uneaten seeds are sown effectively under natural conditions to germinate and grow
3496-429: The fruit develops from a single flower, with numerous pistils. A multiple fruit is formed from a cluster of flowers, (a 'multiple' of flowers) – also called an inflorescence . Each ('smallish') flower produces a single fruitlet, which, as all develop, all merge into one mass of fruit. Examples include pineapple , fig , mulberry , Osage orange , and breadfruit . An inflorescence (a cluster) of white flowers, called
3572-416: The fruits develop, but they are not evolutionarily relevant as diverse plant taxa may be in the same group. While the section of a fungus that produces spores is called a fruiting body, fungi are members of the fungi kingdom and not of the plant kingdom . Simple fruits are the result of the ripening-to-fruit of a simple or compound ovary in a single flower with a single pistil . In contrast,
3648-419: The head of the branch or stem. Fruits may incorporate tissues derived from other floral parts besides the ovary, including the receptacle, hypanthium, petals, or sepals. Accessory fruits occur in all three classes of fruit development – simple, aggregate, and multiple. Accessory fruits are frequently designated by the hyphenated term showing both characters. For example, a pineapple is a multiple-accessory fruit,
3724-501: The highest area of land devoted to vegetable production, while the highest average yields were obtained in Spain and the Republic of Korea. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) sets international standards to ensure that products and services are safe, reliable, and of good quality. There are a number of ISO standards regarding fruits and vegetables. ISO 1991-1:1982 lists
3800-431: The human diet from time immemorial . Some are staple foods but most are accessory foodstuffs, adding variety to meals with their unique flavors and at the same time, adding nutrients necessary for health. Some vegetables are perennials but most are annuals and biennials , usually harvested within a year of sowing or planting. Whatever system is used for growing crops, cultivation follows a similar pattern; preparation of
3876-442: The insects, predators and fungi that might attack the plant. Some beans contain phytohaemagglutinin , and cassava roots contain cyanogenic glycoside as do bamboo shoots . These toxins can be deactivated by adequate cooking. Green potatoes contain glycoalkaloids and should be avoided. Fruit and vegetables, particularly leafy vegetables, have been implicated in nearly half the gastrointestinal infections caused by norovirus in
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#17328846787023952-496: The latter term meaning the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries . Numerous dry achenes are attached to the outside of the fruit-flesh; they appear to be seeds but each is actually an ovary of a flower, with a seed inside. Schizocarps are dry fruits, though some appear to be fleshy. They originate from syncarpous ovaries but do not actually dehisce ; rather, they split into segments with one or more seeds. They include
4028-423: The many parts of a plant consumed as food worldwide—roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits , and seeds. The broadest definition is the word's use adjectivally to mean "matter of plant origin". More specifically, a vegetable may be defined as "any plant, part of which is used for food", a secondary meaning then being "the edible part of such a plant". A more precise definition is "any plant part consumed for food that
4104-415: The means by which angiosperms disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propagated using the movements of humans and other animals in a symbiotic relationship that is the means for seed dispersal for the one group and nutrition for the other; humans, and many other animals, have become dependent on fruits as a source of food. Consequently, fruits account for a substantial fraction of
4180-506: The micro-organisms present killed by heat. The sealed can excludes air from the foodstuff to prevent subsequent deterioration. The lowest necessary heat and the minimum processing time are used in order to prevent the mechanical breakdown of the product and to preserve the flavor as far as is possible. The can is then able to be stored at ambient temperatures for a long period. Freezing vegetables and maintaining their temperature at below −10 °C (14 °F) will prevent their spoilage for
4256-445: The number of fertilized ovules. The pericarp typically is differentiated into two or three distinct layers; these are called the exocarp (outer layer, also called epicarp), mesocarp (middle layer), and endocarp (inner layer). In some fruits, the sepals , petals , stamens or the style of the flower fall away as the fleshy fruit ripens. However, for simple fruits derived from an inferior ovary – i.e., one that lies below
4332-479: The nutrients needed for health. International dietary guidelines are similar to the ones established by the USDA. Japan , for example, recommends the consumption of five to six servings of vegetables daily. French recommendations provide similar guidelines and set the daily goal at five servings. In India, the daily recommendation for adults is 275 grams (9.7 oz) of vegetables per day. Vegetables have been part of
4408-437: The ovary may contribute to the structure of a fruit, it is important to understand how a particular fruit forms. There are three general modes of fruit development: Consistent with the three modes of fruit development, plant scientists have classified fruits into three main groups: simple fruits, aggregate fruits, and multiple (or composite) fruits. The groupings reflect how the ovary and other flower organs are arranged and how
4484-614: The plant hormone ethylene causes ripening . Therefore, maintaining most fruits in an efficient cold chain is optimal for post-harvest storage, with the aim of extending and ensuring shelf life. Various culinary fruits provide significant amounts of fiber and water, and many are generally high in vitamin C . An overview of numerous studies showed that fruits (e.g., whole apples or whole oranges) are satisfying (filling) by simply eating and chewing them. The dietary fiber consumed in eating fruit promotes satiety , and may help to control body weight and aid reduction of blood cholesterol ,
4560-420: The pods with salt, but this method of preservation is unsuited to most vegetables. Marrows, beetroot, carrot, and some other vegetables can be boiled with sugar to create jams. Vinegar is widely used in food preservation ; a sufficient concentration of acetic acid prevents the development of destructive micro-organisms, a fact made use of in the preparation of pickles , chutneys and relishes. Fermentation
4636-413: The produce in the shade. Proper post-harvest storage aimed at extending and ensuring shelf life is best effected by efficient cold chain application. Cold storage is particularly useful for vegetables such as cauliflower, eggplant, lettuce, radish, spinach, potatoes, and tomatoes, the optimum temperature depending on the type of produce. There are temperature-controlling technologies that do not require
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#17328846787024712-552: The produce on racks and turning the crop at intervals. This method suffers from several disadvantages including lack of control over drying rates, spoilage when drying is slow, contamination by dirt, wetting by rain, and attack by rodents, birds, and insects. These disadvantages can be alleviated by using solar powered driers. The dried produce must be prevented from reabsorbing moisture during storage. High levels of both sugar and salt can preserve food by preventing micro-organisms from growing. Green beans can be salted by layering
4788-401: The purpose of fertilization. (A female gametophyte is called a megagametophyte , and also called the embryo sac .) After double fertilization, the ovules will become seeds. Ovules are fertilized in a process that starts with pollination , which is the movement of pollen from the stamens to the stigma-style-ovary system within the flower-head. After pollination, a pollen tube grows from
4864-679: The rich have been able to afford a varied diet including meat, vegetables and fruit, but for poor people, meat was a luxury and the food they ate was very dull, typically comprising mainly some staple product made from rice, rye, barley, wheat, millet or maize. The addition of vegetable matter provided some variety to the diet. The staple diet of the Aztecs in Central America was maize and they cultivated tomatoes , avocados , beans , peppers , pumpkins , squashes , peanuts , and amaranth seeds to supplement their tortillas and porridge . In Peru,
4940-401: The seed, and the endosperm mother cell will give rise to endosperm , a nutritive tissue used by the embryo. As the ovules develop into seeds, the ovary begins to ripen and the ovary wall, the pericarp , may become fleshy (as in berries or drupes ), or it may form a hard outer covering (as in nuts). In some multi-seeded fruits, the extent to which a fleshy structure develops is proportional to
5016-486: The soil by loosening it, removing or burying weeds, and adding organic manures or fertilisers; sowing seeds or planting young plants; tending the crop while it grows to reduce weed competition, control pests, and provide sufficient water; harvesting the crop when it is ready; sorting, storing, and marketing the crop or eating it fresh from the ground. Different soil types suit different crops, but in general in temperate climates, sandy soils dry out fast but warm up quickly in
5092-416: The spring and are suitable for early crops, while heavy clays retain moisture better and are more suitable for late season crops. The growing season can be lengthened by the use of fleece , cloches , plastic mulch , polytunnels , and greenhouses . In hotter regions, the production of vegetables is constrained by the climate, especially the pattern of rainfall, while in temperate zones, it is constrained by
5168-400: The storage life of food without noticeably changing its properties. The objective of preserving vegetables is to extend their availability for consumption or marketing purposes. The aim is to harvest the food at its maximum state of palatability and nutritional value, and preserve these qualities for an extended period. The main causes of deterioration in vegetables after they are gathered are
5244-455: The storage period. These losses may be as high as thirty to fifty percent in developing countries where adequate cold storage facilities are not available. The main causes of loss include spoilage caused by moisture, moulds, micro-organisms, and vermin. Storage can be short-term or long-term. Most vegetables are perishable and short-term storage for a few days provides flexibility in marketing. During storage, leafy vegetables lose moisture , and
5320-730: The store, they should not be damaged or bruised; and precut pieces should be refrigerated or surrounded by ice. All fruits and vegetables should be rinsed before eating. This recommendation also applies to produce with rinds or skins that are not eaten. It should be done just before preparing or eating to avoid premature spoilage. Fruits and vegetables should be kept separate from raw foods like meat, poultry, and seafood, as well as from utensils that have come in contact with raw foods. Fruits and vegetables that are not going to be cooked should be thrown away if they have touched raw meat, poultry, seafood, or eggs. All cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables should be refrigerated within two hours. After
5396-532: The temperature and day length. On a domestic scale, the spade, fork, and hoe are the tools of choice while on commercial farms a range of mechanical equipment is available. Besides tractors, these include ploughs , harrows , drills , transplanters , cultivators , irrigation equipment, and harvesters . New techniques are changing the cultivation procedures involved in growing vegetables with computer monitoring systems, GPS locators, and self-steer programs for driverless machines giving economic benefits. When
5472-414: The term fruit also includes many structures that are not commonly called as such in everyday language, such as nuts, bean pods, corn kernels, tomatoes, and wheat grains. Many common language terms used for fruit and seeds differ from botanical classifications. For example, in botany, a fruit is a ripened ovary or carpel that contains seeds, e.g., an orange, pomegranate, tomato or a pumpkin. A nut
5548-417: The term – such as strawberries and raspberries. Berries may be formed from one or more carpels (i.e., from the simple or compound ovary) from the same, single flower. Seeds typically are embedded in the fleshy interior of the ovary. Examples include: The strawberry, regardless of its appearance, is classified as a dry, not a fleshy fruit. Botanically, it is not a berry ; it is an aggregate-accessory fruit,
5624-439: The use of electricity such as evaporative cooling. Storage of fruit and vegetables in controlled atmospheres with high levels of carbon dioxide or high oxygen levels can inhibit microbial growth and extend storage life. The irradiation of vegetables and other agricultural produce by ionizing radiation can be used to preserve it from both microbial infection and insect damage, as well as from physical deterioration. It can extend
5700-510: The wild by hunter-gatherers and entered cultivation in several parts of the world, probably during the period 10,000 BC to 7,000 BC, when a new agricultural way of life developed. At first, plants that grew locally were cultivated, but as time went on, trade brought common and exotic crops from elsewhere to add to domestic types. Nowadays, most vegetables are grown all over the world as climate permits, and crops may be cultivated in protected environments in less suitable locations. China
5776-420: The world's agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate ) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings. In common language and culinary usage, fruit normally means the seed-associated fleshy structures (or produce) of plants that typically are sweet (or sour) and edible in the raw state, such as apples, bananas, grapes, lemons, oranges, and strawberries. In botanical usage,
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