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Mandarin and Clementine: Differences

Mandarin and clementine are often used interchangeably as terms. But if you look closely, you’ll see some differences. We explain to you what they are and what you should consider when buying citrus fruits.

External differences

Clementines and tangerines only look the same at first glance. If you take a closer look at them, you can spot the following differences:

The tangerine has an orange pulp, while the clementine is more yellow-orange.
If you cut a citrus fruit in half, you’ll see that the flesh is divided into chambers. These chambers are called segments. Tangerines and clementines have different numbers of segments: the tangerine is usually divided into nine, the clementine into eight to twelve.
The tangerine has many seeds, the clementine almost none.
The skin of the clementine is significantly thicker and therefore more resistant to cold and pressure.

Mandarine: Long cultivation tradition and long journey

Mandarins come from China and have been cultivated there for thousands of years. Their name probably comes from the Mandarins. These were high officials in Imperial China who wore an orange robe.

Citrus fruits spread from China to Southeast Asia and Japan. They only came to Europe in 1805 through a certain Sir Abraham Hume, who brought two varieties from China to England.

Today, tangerines are also grown in other parts of the world, especially in tropical and subtropical zones. Because of the many pits in the tangerine, you will usually find more clementines on our supermarket shelves, although tangerines taste more aromatic. Most of the fruit we sell comes from Spain, Italy, Turkey and Israel. It is better to avoid tangerines from more distant countries such as South Africa, because they have a worse climate balance due to the long transport.

The citrus fruits are harvested in autumn. That’s why you’ll find mandarins and clementines here between October and January.

Clementine – daughter of the tangerine

A monk named Frère Clément discovered the clementine in the garden of an orphanage in Algeria in 1912. The monks gave their name to the clementine. The actual origin of the clementine is not known, but there are indications that it used to grow in China.

The clementine originated from a cross between the tangerine and the bitter orange. The latter belongs to the bitter oranges. Thanks to its thicker skin, the clementine can withstand more cold than other citrus plants. It is even grown in France.

Nutrient content of citrus fruits

Mandarins and clementines are high in vitamin C. Although they contain less vitamin C than oranges or lemons, you can cover your daily requirement with three to four larger fruits.

In addition, tangerines and clementines contain:

Folic acid, also known as vitamin B9
Vitamin A and Vitamin E
Vitamin B1 and Vitamin B2
The two citrus fruits, on the other hand, only contain minerals such as iron or zinc in negligible amounts.

Cultivation and harvest of clementines and tangerines

Mandarins and clementines need six to 18 months to ripen. Their cultivation is relatively water-intensive. They are harvested in autumn. After harvesting, the citrus fruits are left for five days to allow the skin to lose water, making it firmer and more resilient.

Then the actual post-processing begins: the green skins of the fruit are “degreened” in a dyeing room at 20 to 24 degrees Celsius. This is done with the help of ethylene gas, which causes the fruit to turn yellowish or orange.

The citrus fruits are then bathed in a bath with pesticides to prevent them from rotting. Because this destroys their natural wax layer, the clementines and tangerines have to be waxed again afterwards. For this purpose, for example, beeswax, shellac or sugar esters are used.

Purchase of tangerines and clementines

If you eat tangerines or clementines, you should wash the skin thoroughly with hot water and clean your hands again before they come into contact with the pulp. Chemicals, such as insecticides, are transferred to the hands when they are peeled.

It is best, of course, if you buy organic fruit:

Organic clementines and mandarins are subject to much stricter guidelines and may not be chemically treated.
No artificial fertilizers may be used during cultivation.
Organic farming is often more water-efficient.
The working conditions are better.
By the way: A green peel is not a sign that the fruit is unripe. Sometimes the coloring just didn’t work as desired. This doesn’t make the tangerines and clementines taste any less good.

Clementines and tangerines: How to store them properly

Thanks to their thicker skin, clementines can be stored longer than tangerines. While tangerines dry out after just one to two weeks, clementines can be kept for up to four weeks. After the harvest, the fruits no longer ripen.

These tips will keep tangerines and clementines fresh for the longest time in your home:

Don’t buy fruit that is already mushy. Put them as high up in your shopping bag as possible so they don’t get crushed.
You can store clementines in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator for a week or two. Make sure the fruit is well ventilated to avoid mold.
If you plan to use your clementines or tangerines within a few days, you can store them in a cool room. Place the fruit in a bowl to give them enough air and protect them from sunlight.

And canned tangerines?

In spring and summer you will only find canned tangerines in the supermarket. These have been treated with diluted hydrochloric acid to make them lose their inner shell. This is not harmful, hydrochloric acid is also in the stomach for digestion. However, the canned fruits hardly have any vitamins, but they have an even higher sugar content because they are placed in sugar solution.

The purchase of aluminum cans should also be viewed critically. Aluminum is a problematic substance and the cans are also coated with plasticizers, most of which contain the harmful substance bisphenol-A. It is therefore better to avoid canned tangerines and instead use seasonal fruit.

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12 Inspiring Facts About Clementines

Clementine or Citrus Clementina is one of the tangelo varieties. It is a hybrid of orange and tangerine. It was created back in 1902 by Father Clemen, who was not only a priest but also a wonderful breeder. The shape of the fruit is the same as that of the mandarin, but much sweeter.

  1. Corsican clementines are considered the most attractive. This is because the fruits for sale are decorated with several green leaves. This fruit is attractive not only for its color contras but also an irrefutable proof of freshness. It is known that the leaves, after harvest, quickly fall off and dry out, so if leaves are present on the fruits, then they are fresh.
  2. For a year, the harvest of clementine can reach 25 tons, and almost all of them remain in a beautiful country – France. These small oranges are only 6 cm in diameter.
  3. This fruit has an amazing aroma and a very sweet taste. This delicacy is a wonderful natural antidepressant. It is very often used to make alcoholic beverages.
  4. This citrus is known to many as the nauvel orange and the Italian mandarin. Recently, Mediterranean countries are engaged in its cultivation: Italy, Algeria, Morocco, France, and Spain. It is from here that the largest volumes of clementines are supplied.
  5. This fruit can very easily be confused with tangerine due to its similar appearance. It has a dark orange color, this is the main difference between them. Mandarin has practically no bones, while clementine, on the contrary, has a lot of them. The rind of this citrus is quite thin and shiny, but despite this, it is very hard.
  6. This fruit has a rather juicy and fragrant pulp. It is easy to recognize clementine because it is distinguished by a slightly flattened shape.
  7. When buying clementine, first of all, you should pay attention to the color. Real tangerine is yellow, so it is very difficult to confuse them. They can be distinguished by touch, the first (clementine) is harder, the second is soft with looser skin.
  8. Storing these citrus fruits is the easiest. They can lie for quite a long time. To preserve these fruits, they should simply be placed in a special compartment of the refrigerator. Thus, they can be stored for a whole month. The ideal temperature is +6, while there should be high humidity.
  9. They can be rubbed with vegetable oil to increase their shelf life. Never store clementines in a plastic bag.
  10. This fruit is ideal for preparing many dishes as well as drinks. Such juicy and sweet citrus fruits are perfect for making biscuits, desserts, cakes, snacks, sauces, and many other dishes.
  11. Wonderful jams, syrups, preserves, liqueurs, and brandy are made of clementines. The British add clementines to marinades and also use them to make the sauce for meat.
  12. This citrus fruit has a rather poetic name: clementine. It got its name in honor of the creator, who bred this variety. It was a French priest, Father Clement.
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Tangerine or Clementine

Now it’s back to the time when the orange-colored citrus fruits fill the supermarket shelves. Mandarins and clementines are popular snacks for us in the wintertime. The sweet fruits are also ideal for winter salads or for baking muffins and fruit bases. But haven’t you ever stood in front of the supermarket display and wondered what the difference is between mandarins and clementines? EAT SMARTER tells you how to tell the delicious citrus fruits apart.

Orange is not the same as orange

Tangerine, clementine, satsuma, or tangerine? Even botanists are sometimes unsure and find it difficult to tell them apart. No wonder, since the tangerine has countless hybrids (descendants of crosses with other citrus fruits). One example is clementine, which is believed to have originated from a cross between a tangerine and a bitter orange. We’ll explain how to tell the two apart:

Tangerines

Mandarins, botanically Citrus reticulata, originate from China and have been cultivated there for over 3,000 years. The word origin is probably in China and is derived from the word Mandarin. That’s what high officials who wore an orange official dress were called. Today the fruits are mainly grown in the western Mediterranean region. The main harvest season in southern Europe begins in late autumn. Therefore, the fruits are mainly available in Germany from October to January.

Clementines

The clementine is the little daughter of the tangerine. It is a cultivated form, crossed from the tangerine and the bitter orange. The clementine owes its name to a French monk named Clément. He grew the fruit around 100 years ago in Algeria.

Differences between tangerines and clementines

If you want to distinguish tangerines from clementines visually, you have to look very closely. The differences usually only become apparent once you know what to look out for.

1. External differences

The peel of the tangerine is slightly darker than that of the clementine. The tangerine is also round like the orange. Clementines tend to be elliptical and flat, often leaving a central cavity inside.

2. Who is easier to peel?

The peel of the clementine is usually more difficult to remove than that of the tangerine. Although it looks thinner, it is much more robust. In the case of tangerine, the so-called loose skin is responsible for the easier peeling off of the skin. This means the cavity between the skin and the flesh of the fruit, becomes wider the longer the fruit is stored.

3. Attention cores

Mandarins are divided into nine to ten segments and, unlike clementines, often contain seeds. The eight to twelve fruit segments of the clementine are almost seedless. Many consumers appreciate this property.

4. Shelf Life

Due to the more robust peel, the clementine can be stored much longer than the tangerine. Whereas these become bitter and inedible after just 2 weeks, clementines can be kept for up to two months if stored correctly.

5. The difference in taste

The taste of the tangerine is tart, but much more intense. In contrast to the orange, it also tastes significantly less acidic. The clementine brings with it a sweet and sour aroma that is less intense than that of the tangerine.

6. Ingredients

If you take a look at the nutritional values ​​​​of clementine and tangerine, the two citrus fruits hardly differ from each other. Both contain hardly any fat and a lot of fructose. Good to know for diabetics is that 100 grams of tangerine do not contain quite one BE*.

Citrus fruits are so healthy

Especially in winter, citrus fruits such as tangerines, clementines, or oranges are popular with young and old. They are not only a tasty snack but also very healthy due to their high vitamin C content. The tangerine contains the least vitamin C of all citrus fruits, but with “only” 32 milligrams per 100 grams, it is not to be scoffed at. If you eat this amount, you already cover a good third of your daily requirement.

The health boosters also contain provitamin A, which plays an important role in cell protection and has a positive effect on skin and eyesight.

Crossbreeding with other citrus fruits has given rise to countless hybrids around the world, including clementine. Two other representatives of the tangerine subspecies are the particularly thin-skinned and juicy satsuma and the very small and sweet tangerine. Both are commonly available in the market; most tangerine varieties and hybrids are not even described in detail, at least in the supermarket.

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