Sweet Story of Citrus Scarring

(Beauty is more than skin deep)

Next time you’re browsing the produce section of your local grocery store, consider this – the sweetest citrus often hides behind scarred skin. Before you reach for picture-perfect fruit, it’s important to understand citrus scarring and how you can select the best fruit.

At SweeterSorts, we believe it’s what’s on the inside that counts. That’s why we use advanced technology called Brix (°Bx). Brix allows us to see past the skin to what matters – the juicy goodness of our citrus. As fruit ripens, the ratio of sugar to water increases exponentially. Through Brix technology, we pick the best of the best fruit by measuring the amount of sugar in a fixed amount of water. The impressive part is we do it all without having to pull out our grapefruit spoons for a taste test (no matter how tempting it may be). Thus, without puncturing or disturbing the fruit, we are able to know the sugar content in each fruit. This ensure that when you order from Sweetersorts, you are getting the best from all the pickings.

Many of the factors that create the tastiest citrus leave their mark on the skin. For the sweetest fruit, we look to mature groves. Older trees produce more sugars.
Without as many leaves to feed, the older trees send all of that sweetness straight to the fruit. Without as many leaves to buffer the fruit, nearby branches can rub against the fruit, leading to small citrus scarring.


Citrus scarring on citrus hanging from tree

SweeterSorts was born under Florida’s sunny skies. Contrary to our Californian counterpart, our subtropical climate actually gives our citrus an advantage. Florida citrus does not need to develop a thick skin to protect itself from cold nights. Although Florida’s noticeably thinner skin makes it more fragile, it also means there’s more room inside for the good stuff.

So next time you’re browsing the produce section, look for fruit that seems heavy for it’s size. Consequently, that means it’s full of juice and has lots of sweetness inside (lucky you!). The peel should have a sheen and should bounce back when gentle pressure is applied. And of course, don’t be scared by a few scars. You can always buy some of our fresh citrus online and have that peace of mind that you’re getting good quality fruit!

Scars tell a story, and on citrus, it’s a sweet one!

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