Atemoya Fruit
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
This item was last sold on : 07/06/24
Description/Taste
Atemoyas are vibrant tropical fruits that grow on trees. They have a heart-shaped body that typically measures 10 centimeters long and 9.5 centimeters wide. They can weigh up to 80 ounces. Atemoyas’ skin has protruding areoles that give the fruit a pinecone-like appearance. The skin ranges from a pale bluish-green to pea-green hue with white dots speckled all over its body. Atemoyas have a creamy white flesh that is firm and grainy towards the skin and grows more smooth and custard-like as it approaches the center of the fruit. Within this flesh are hard, dark brown cylindrical seeds with a smooth, woody texture. Atemoyas’ have a sweet, floral, and tropical scent. Their taste can be likened to a combination of bananas, strawberries, pears, and pineapples. The flavor is creamy, sweet, and slightly acidic.
Seasons/Availability
Atemoya fruit is typically available from late summer to early fall.
Current Facts
The botanical name for Atemoyas is Annona squamosa × A. cherimola and they are part of the Annonaceae family, which contains numerous tropical fruits. Atemoyas are a hybrid of the Sugar Apple and the Cherimoya. The resulting fruit was given the name Atemoya, a combination of "ate," an old Mexican name for sugar apple, and "moya" from cherimoya. Varieties of Atemoya include the Bradley, Mammoth, Island Beauty, African Pride, Geffner, and Malamud. Atemoya trees are not prolific fruit producers. To help them along, home gardeners and commercial producers often hand pollinate them. Atemoya flowers are hermaphroditic and turn from female to male over a few hours, allowing any flower to pollinate with any other.
Nutritional Value
Atemoyas are very high in vitamin C, each fruit containing around half the daily recommended value. This vitamin is crucial for immune health, protecting the body from infection, and producing collagen for the skin. Atemoyas contain vitamin B6, which is important for nervous system function, cognitive development, and metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Atemoyas are a source of fiber, potassium, and magnesium. These nutrients help with digestion, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels, muscle function, energy production, and potentially reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Atemoyas may have medicinal properties that can help treat digestive and respiratory ailments. The root and leaves of Atemoya trees have been used to relieve diarrhea and the poultice from the leaves may be effective for treating infected wounds.
Applications
Atemoyas are best eaten chilled and directly out of the shell with a spoon. The easiest way to consume Atemoyas is by slicing them in half and scooping out their pulp. The seeds, skin, and core should be removed before consuming. Atemoyas can be added to fruit cups, salads, smoothies, cereals, or yogurt. They can used in baked goods recipes like cakes and tarts or used to make frozen desserts like ice cream, sorbet, and custard. Atemoyas pair well with other fruits like oranges, limes, pineapple, coconut, mangoes, strawberries, blueberries, papaya, pomegranate, kiwi, and passion fruit. Atemoyas should be stored in the refrigerator. Their skin will start to darken first, though the fruit inside should remain edible for up to three weeks.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The first known Atemoya was bred in 1908 by horticulturalist P.J. Wester at a USDA laboratory in Miami. Seedlings from the Sugar apple and the Cherimoya were planted in 1910 and taken to the Philippines where the hybrid began growing rapidly. The resulting Aremoya fruit was then perfected and sent back to the United States in 1915, where it was then planted by experimental growers in Florida, eventually leading to a small commercial planting that still exists today. In the 1930s and 1940s, another version of the Atemoya was developed in Israel. Atemoya has since experienced popularity in many other areas of the world, including Tawain, where it’s known as the pineapple sugar apple. The fruit goes by many different names depending on the country: in Cuba, it’s called anón, in Venezuela it’s called chirimorinon, and in Israel and Lebanon it’s called achta.
Geography/History
Atemoyas were first bred in a laboratory in Florida. They now grow in tropical and near-tropical lowland areas. As a hybrid fruit, Atemoyas are not grown in the wild. They are instead produced on commercial farms and orchards or grown in home gardens, especially in climates with the right growing conditions. Since they were first discovered, Atemoyas have been spread to various parts of the world, including Asia, South America, Hawaii, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Egypt. Atemoyas can be found in grocery stores or home gardens within tropical regions. Outside these places, they may be sourced from farmers' markets and specialty stores.
