Description: Peaches are distinguished by a downy fuzz covering their thin skins. The fruits mature from green to yellow and then orange with deep red blushing on the side facing the sun. The deep orange flesh is aromatic and juicy and may or may not cling to the hard, almond-shaped central stone. Peaches offer a sweet flavor, balancing sugar, and acid for a well-rounded flavor. Peaches are ideal for eating raw and are used in a variety of cooked applications, from Savory to sweet. Freestone varieties are most often used for fresh eating and are most common in markets. Clingstone varieties are typically used for processing but are also becoming more popular at farmer’s markets. Wash Peaches thoroughly before using. They are sliced for fruit salads or tossed green salads or used for canapes or hors d’oeuvres. They are blended into smoothies or milkshakes, or juiced for beverages, cocktails, vinaigrettes, or dressings. Peaches are ideal for baking, grilling and processing into jams, syrups, ice creams or preserved in syrup. Their most common use is for baking into desserts like cakes, pies, tarts and galettes.
Health Benefits:
1. Reducing cancer risk
Peaches provide a significant amount of vitamin C. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that can help prevent the formation of free radicals which are compounds that have links to cancer development. As a result, adequate vitamin C intake may help a person reduce their risk of cancer. However, exposure to other risk factors, such as smoking, increases the amount of vitamin C that a person needs to have a significant effect on cancer risk.
2. Preserving skin health
Research suggests that regularly consuming vitamin C can improve the appearance and health of the skin. This powerful antioxidant plays a vital role in forming collagen. Collagen acts as the support system for the skin, promoting wound healing and enhancing skin strength.
3. Contributing to fibre intake
A cup of diced peaches contains 2.52 g of fibre. The USDA recommend 22.4–28.0 g per day for female adults and 30.8–33.6 g each day for male adults, meaning that this serving size can provide at least 7.5% of a person’s recommended daily fibre intake.
Fibre-rich foods provide a range of important health benefits, according to a 2018 review. They can protect the health of the colon, support weight management on a long term basis, and reduce the risk of several harmful health conditions.
Locations of harvest:
Time period of Harvest:
Harvest Process: Harvesting peaches is done completely by hand. Pickers select ripe fruit based on a creamy yellow background colour and place them in a bag worn around their shoulders. Once the bag is full, the worker transfers the fruit to a plastic bin. Each bin holds approximately 20 bushels of fruit (the equivalent of about 1,000 pounds). Five of these bins are on a wagon that is pulled through the field by a tractor. Harvest crews are made up of 15 people – six workers picking three rows on each side of the trailer (two workers per row), one puncher and two tractor drivers. Working with several harvest crews is a field supervisor ensuring the fruit is harvested properly and is handled as easily as possible. Since all the fruit on a tree doesn’t ripen at one time, the same picking group will generally pick a field five times with two to three days between pickings. This is to ensure that fruit is harvested at its peak stage of readiness
Freeze Drying Process: The freeze-drying process is done through sublimation. It is done by first freezing fruit and then putting it under vacuum pressures. This will then cause the ice crystals to elevate, turning them from solid ice into steam quickly. This process will remove water much more efficiently than old-fashioned drying. The fruit’s water content and nutritional value are condensed and preserved without affecting the fruit’s structure. This makes this technique of preserving food mainly suited to soft fruits which are relatively low on sugar. Once the peaches have been freeze-dried, they are cut into 6mm pieces