Information for Retailers

Volumes Looking Good For 2008 � Plenty of Fruit To Promote

Season Timing - Mid March through to June

FEIJOA FACT SHEET

When Is The Feijoa Season?

• Feijoas are available from March through June.

How can I have best quality feijoas?

• Firstly make sure you are receiving best quality fruit. Ask your supplier if they are a member of this association, and check at this link if they have agreed to particpate in our quality supply programme. Growers listed here have agreed to meet industries best grade standards and their organic/food safety certification as provided, is listed.

When Is A Feijoa Ripe? See Feijoa Retailer Handling Guide under General below.

• Feijoas are ripe when slightly soft. In a freshly cut piece of fruit, this is when the jellied section is clear.
• When ripe, some varieties are considerably softer than others (eg: Apollo- a long, pale fruit).
• If under-ripe, the jellied section is half white/half clear. If overripe, the flesh and jellied section will show signs of browning.
• Unless refrigerated, ripe feijoas only retain their best flavour for 2 or 3 days. After this, flavour deteriorates without any change in the outward appearance of the fruit.

Storage & Handling

• For retail storage and handling, see the enclosed ?Feijoa Retailer Handling Guide.?
• For shoppers: If the feijoas are not quite ripe, they can be stored in the fruit bowl for 1-2 days. Once ripe, feijoas should be stored in the refrigerator to hold their ripeness.

History

• Originally from South America, feijoas are now well established in New Zealand.
• The fruit grows on small trees. Fruit is hand picked. The season runs from early March to late June.

Types of trees

• There are 20+ varieties of feijoas
• NZFGA members grow some of the following varieties Unique, Apollo, Triumph, Mammoth, Wiki Tu, Pounamu, Opal Star, Gemini, White Goose, Golden Goose, Dens Choice, Kakapo, Barton, Gemini, Gracie, Snow goose, Marion, White Delight, Candy to name a few.

Eating a Fresh Feijoa

A New Zealand Treat

Nutrition

• Fresh feijoas are a good source of Vitamin C, are low in calories and are high in minerals and fibre.
• Fresh feijoas have a medium to high ORACS level so are healthy for all the family.
• All of the feijoa is edible except the outer skin. To enjoy a feijoa, simply cut in half and scoop out the centre with a spoon.

Usage Ideas

• Peel and use in place of, or in addition to other fruits in sorbets, sherbets and smoothies.
• Peel and use instead of apples or bananas in pies and baking.
• Roast feijoas with pork.
• Sprinkle lemon juice over cut feijoas to prevent browning.

FEIJOA RETAILER HANDLING GUIDE

For Better Displays & Increased Sales

Click on the image for a full size version of the handling guide (adobe pdf format) or contact the association at info@feijoa.org.nz.

GENERAL

• Store at 4�C.
• Handle carefully, fruit bruises easily.
• Do not tip from boxes.
• Refrigerate displays or display only those fruit that can be sold in 2 or 3 days.
• Check displays daily and remove any browning or over ripe fruit.
• Advise consumers to refrigerate fruit after purchase unless it is very firm. Optimum eating maturity is when the jellied sections of a freshly cut fruit are clear.
• Note: The aim is to get a quality product at optimum ripeness being eaten by consumers.
• Ripe feijoas, unless refrigerated, retain their best flavour for only 2 or 3 days.

• At harvest 80% of fruit should be nearer "B" on the Maturity Guide than either A or C.
• On leaving the wholesalers 80% of fruit should be between "B" and "C".
• When placed on the retail shelf 80% of fruit should be nearer "C" than "B" or "D" i.e. some fruit should have just reached eating maturity and others should be about to reach eating maturity.
• Fruit harvested from the ground generally does not last the distance in the distribution chain.

The above guide is to give the retailer an idea of the ripeness of fruit when cut and is not to be used as a picking guide.

A) The fruit is hard and under ripe and will never ripen and taste bad.
E) The fruit is over ripe could be soft may have brown spots on the skin this will taste bad.
B,C, and D Show the fruit through the ripening phase D being optimum eating.

RIPENING TIMES:

B to C -	2 to 3 weeks at 4�C (40�F)
	2 to 3 days at 15 C - 20�C (60�F- 70�F)
B to C -	C to D - As above.

RETAILERS:

• Feijoas can be perfect on the outside but in poor condition inside.
• Check fruit condition by cutting in half when fruit arrives in store then periodically when on display