Purple Star Passionfruit
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Purple Star passionfruit varies in size, depending on seasonal climatic conditions, and averages 7 to 8 centimeters in length and 6 to 6.5 centimeters in diameter. The fruits have an oval shape with blunt, curved ends, and the surface is smooth, taut, and firm with a faint sheen. Purple Star passionfruit has a distinct coloring, showcasing green, light purple, and yellow hues. Color is not an indication of ripeness for this variety, and even the sweetest, ripest fruits may have a green tint. The skin remains mostly smooth, plump, and taut, eventually wrinkling with age. The small portions of the stems still attached to the fruit should also be green and fresh. If they are brown or shriveled, it may be a sign of age. Underneath the surface, the fruit encases a cavity filled with golden yellow-orange arils. These arils are slippery, gelatinous, and juicy, enveloping a small, black, and crunchy seed. When opened, juice often escapes from the fruit and pools in the center of the arils when held in halves. Purple Star passionfruit has a succulent, tender, slightly crunchy, and juicy consistency. The arils are aromatic and have a sweet, fruity, and tropical taste. Purple Star passionfruit has one of the lowest acidity levels of the passionfruit grown in Taiwan.
Seasons/Availability
Purple Star passionfruit is available in Taiwan from July through January, sometimes extending into February, depending on the year.
Current Facts
Purple Star passionfruit, botanically classified as Passiflora edulis, is a Taiwanese variety belonging to the Passifloraceae family. The sweet fruits are a relatively new variety developed, grown, and sold throughout Taiwan as a seasonal delicacy. Purple Star passionfruit is only grown in limited quantities and is currently promoted as a premium passionfruit variety in gift markets. The fruits are grown in southern Taiwan and are cultivated over netting, preventing the fruits from crashing to the ground. Passionfruit naturally falls from the vine when ripe, and when the fruits are caught in a net, it preserves their exterior and sweet taste. Purple Star passionfruit is collected by hand and can be eaten without the need for post-ripening, meaning the fruits can be consumed when the skin is still taut. Their low acidity provides a sweet and fruity eating experience, and they have an extended shelf life, allowing them to last longer in markets. In Taiwan, Purple Star passionfruit is somewhat rare and not often found in markets. Commercial production may increase over time, but in the present, the fruits are primarily given as gifts or consumed in fresh preparations to savor their sweet taste and low acidity.
Nutritional Value
Purple Star passionfruit has not been studied for its nutritional properties. Purple passionfruit, in general, is known to be a source of vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organs, and iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream. Passionfruit also provides potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, phosphorus to repair tissues, and folate to produce red blood cells.
Applications
Purple Star passionfruit has a sweet, fruity taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety can be consumed immediately after purchase from the market and is a unique cultivar as they do not need to be wrinkled before it has a sweet taste. Purple Star passionfruit can be broken open by hand, and most growers recommend ripping the fruits in half lengthwise rather than horizontally. Once opened, the fleshy arils can be sucked from the shells or eaten with a spoon. Purple Star passionfruit is known for its low acidity, allowing it to complement sweet desserts such as puddings, custards, cakes, and cheesecakes. The arils can also be blended into juices and used to flavor smoothies, iced drinks, and shakes as a refreshing, cleansing drink. In Taiwan, Purple Star passionfruit is sometimes used in the Puli region of Nantou County in shaved ice stores. Fresh arils are drizzled over ice, soft tofu, and grass jelly and are drizzled in brown sugar syrup. Purple Star passionfruit is also made into jams, jellies, and candies or incorporated into dressings and sauces for both sweet and savory dishes. Purple Star passionfruit pairs well with fruits such as mango, pineapple, melon, and coconut, vanilla, maple syrup, and brown sugar. Whole, unopened Purple Star passionfruit will keep for several days to weeks, depending on the age at harvest. The fruits should be kept in a cool, dry, and dark location. If they begin to wrinkle, they can be placed in the refrigerator, but it is worth noting that the sweetness may diminish over time when stored in the fridge.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The town of Puli in Nantou County is regarded as the “hometown of passionfruit” in Taiwan. Nantou County accounts for over 74% of the passionfruit grown and sold in the country. The region is known for its extreme temperature differences between day and night, fertile, well-draining soil, and high altitude, contributing to the fruit’s sweet taste. Within Nantou, an area called Dapingding has also acquired the name of a fruit and vegetable specialty zone. Dapingding is said to produce the most desired passionfruits of the county, and when in season, tourists venture to the area solely to purchase fruits and sample locally-made products. The Passion Fruit Main Store in Dapingding sources locally-grown passionfruit and adds juicy pulp to beverages, jellies, popsicles, candies, and other desserts. These products are popular souvenirs and were born out of a need for the industry to pivot sales. In 2011, the passionfruit industry in Taiwan experienced a crisis when plasticizer was found in fruit juices. Passionfruit juice sales plummeted, and passionfruit growers had to find new ways to sell their crops. As a result, locations like the Passion Fruit Main Store were established, and new passionfruit products were developed to use the crops. Locally processed passionfruit gifts eventually became a well-known attraction in Nantou County, and new products are made each year to capture the essence and flavor of Nantou-grown passionfruit.
Geography/History
Passionfruit has origins in South America and has been growing wild since ancient times. The species was introduced to Taiwan sometime during the Japanese Colonial Period from 1895 to 1945 CE. It is thought passionfruit was planted in Taiwan around 1901, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that it was selectively bred to create varieties suitable for the country’s climate. The most famous variety developed in Taiwan was Tainong No. 1, a cultivar released in 1982. Since its debut, Tainong No. 1 has remained the most commercially dominant variety. Other varieties have been commercially bred and sold throughout Taiwan. The exact origins of Purple Star passionfruit are unknown, but the variety was said to have been created by Fukun Farm, a grower in Puli town in Nantou County. It took several years of evaluation and selection before Purple Star passionfruit was chosen for release, and the cultivar is being submitted for variety rights under application case number 3163. Today, Purple Star passionfruit is produced in small quantities and is sold as a specialty variety in markets throughout Taiwan. The Purple Star passionfruit featured in the photograph above was sourced through Binjiang Market in Taipei, Taiwan.
