Chapters 8.38
8.38-Orange Value Addition
Olivia Shedler, University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Shedler,O. (2022) Orange Value Addition,In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org
Introduction
Being one of, if not the most popular fruit in the world, the orange can be found in Chinese manuscripts that date back to 2200 BC (Tetra Pak, 2017). Belonging to the citrus family, oranges originated from Asia, more specifically southern China and northeastern India (Shultz, 2008). Since it was first discovered, oranges have spread to the east coast of Africa and to the eastern Mediterranean region (Tetra Pak, 2017). There are four types of oranges that account for more than half of the world population of citrus fruits. These four types of oranges are called the sweet orange (or China orange), the sour or bitter orange (or Seville orange), the citrus orange, and orange hybrids (tangors). Of these, the sweet orange is the most important and the most popular commercially (Tetra Pak, 2017). It is said that Africa exports oranges to 40 countries across the world in order to meet the demands of the international market (Ortmann & Hayward-Butt, 1994). Despite the high demand for citrus internationally, the domestic market for citrus, especially oranges, is considered the largest. Export quality control is very strict and it ensures that there are a high number of good-quality fruits left for the domestic market to be sold at lower prices (Ortmann & Hayward-Butt, 1994). Given this, it makes for a competitive market for smallholder farmers. Though, if the demand for the product is there, smallholder farmers have an opportunity to sell their product as long as they are able to meet the demands of the market and keep up with the quality of their product (Nesamvuni et. al., 2017). Due to considerable spoilage due to the lack of refrigeration, alternative post-harvest products are needed, which also have the potential to add more value to the crop. The purpose of this chapter is to describe potential post-harvest value addition opportunities for smallholder orange farmers.
Value Addition - Orange Jam/Marmalade
Making an orange jam or marmalade is very simple and can easily increase the value of an orange. The ingredients aren’t too difficult to find and would be accessible to women in developing nations. The required ingredients to make a simple orange marmalade are oranges, lemons (zest and juice), water, and sugar (Brown, 2018). Liquid pectin is an optional ingredient, as it is a good thickening agent, but it is not required (Makau, 2016). In order to make the actual marmalade itself, here is a helpful recipe that gives clear instructions: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/orange-marmalade-recipe-2014440
Production of Orange Jam/Marmalade at a Small Scale
Creating orange jams will require some labour in order to be completed. The aspect of this production that will require the most labour will be the actual ‘making’ of the jams, as it will be the most time consuming (Tetra Pak, 2017). Though, harvesting the oranges themselves will take some time as well. The fruits must be harvested within the “harvest window” in order to ensure they are at the best quality possible (Bates, Morris, & Crandall, 2001). The oranges must be handled in the field with caution to prevent any defects from getting into the batch. The fruit will deteriorate quickly once harvested, which means that it must be processed as soon as possible (Tetra Pak, 2017). For making the jam, only a heat source, a pot, and a knife are required. The heat source can be something as simple as a fire. (Bates, Morris, & Crandall, 2001). This means that the machinery required in order to produce orange jam/marmalade is relatively low-cost and easily accessible. The jam’s packaging is where more value can be added. A glass jar with a nice label is recommended, as it easily adds a classy look (Bragg, 2018). A product that looks aesthetically pleasing overall will grab a buyers’ eye and compel them to buy it. Also if applicable, the product can be labelled as ‘organic’ which not only adds value, but can appeal to more consumers who like to go that route. Seeing as the jam/marmalade does not require refrigeration until it has been opened, transportation can be done in any weather conditions (Tetra Pak, 2017). Putting this product on the market in local markets or food stands will be beneficial and give exposure to the product. If the producers wish to take it further, overseas markets could be a possibility, though it is not ideal for someone who is doing this at a small scale.
Here is a link to a helpful video on how to properly can jams to prevent bacteria from getting in and spoiling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OckTjdkUeWM
Turning a raw orange into an orange-based product has many benefits. One main benefit is increasing an orange’s expiry date. This means that a fruit that lasts around three weeks until it starts to go rotten can be turned into a product that has a longer shelf life (Tetra Pak, 2017) which benefits both farmer and consumer.
Value Addition - Orange Oil
It is said that in Nigeria, orange peels are frequently discarded, yet they hold so much value (Giwa, Muhammad, & Giwa, 2018). Orange oil is a great way to add value to an orange, as there are many different ways it can be used on a daily basis. Orange oil can be used in products such as essential oils, beauty products, food and beverage, and cleaning products. Orange oil has many benefits, such as boosting immunity, working as an anti-inflammatory, and can reduce pain (Axe, 2018). The harvesting process is standard for all orange products. As mentioned before, harvesting oranges during the ‘harvesting window’ is crucial in order to ensure the best quality oranges (Bates, Morris, & Crandall, 2001). Extracting the actual oil from the orange is done by extracting it from its peel. This can be done by methods such as hydro-distillation, supercritical fluid extraction, cold pressing, or microwave extraction (Giwa, Muhammad, & Giwa, 2018). Though a bit pricey, the following machine is very good at extracting the maximum amount of oil from peels: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2-4Kg-Flower-Herb-Per-Oregano_60790250668.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.1.4ff14324UStyu6
If the distillation machine is not a possibility, a more affordable, but less effective option is to use a heat source (preferably an oven, but a fire also works) in order to dehydrate the orange peels, and then use 70-90% rubbing alcohol to press the oil out of the peels (Bates, Morris, & Crandall, 2001). Once the oils have been collected, they can be stored in jars until use. Glass jars would be a smart packaging option, as it adds more value to the overall product than plastic does (Bragg, 2018). The product can then be sold to consumers as is, or it can also be sold to other companies in bulk who would use it in their own products. Selling it in a stand or market will bring exposure to many, especially since the product serves so many different purposes.
Value Addition - Orange Alcohol
Fermenting local fruits, grains, and vegetables has been done for many years in developing countries, and is still done today (Patel, 2007). In developing countries, distilled alcohols and wines are generally consumed by those with more money. Those with less money tend to stick to more traditional alcohols, such as sorghum-based beer and palm wines (Patel, 2007). Turning oranges into an alcohol is one way to ensure that it achieves high value, as alcohol sells for a lot of money. The process of turning oranges into alcohol is called ‘fermenting’. In this process, sugar is converted to alcohol by using yeast (Taylor, 2018). A helpful step-by-step guideline is linked here: https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-ferment-fruit-to-make-alcohol/
Once fermented, the alcohol producer can decide if they would like to strain the mixture to turn it into a fruit wine or distill the mixture to turn it into an orange liqueur (Taylor, 2018). If the alcohol producer chooses to distill the alcohol, here is an inexpensive alcohol distiller that can be purchased: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Factory-price-mini-alcohol-distiller-with_60655396499.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.57.614f133cFXi971
In developing countries such as Africa, alcohol is not only used leisurely, but also in cultural and religion traditions (Parry, 2000). Having the alcohol be available to locals can help increase sales and exposure. The product can be packaged in glass bottles in order to increase its value (Bragg, 2018). Also, adding labels to the bottles will help, especially labels containing info on who produced the alcohol. Luckily, alcohol has an extensive shelf life, with many unopened bottles being able to last over 10 years without having any change in quality (Cocktail Builder’s Blog, 2017). This means that the alcohol will not expire quickly and valuable product will not go to waste.
Full list of helpful resources
Easy-to-make orange jam/marmalade recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/orange-marmalade-recipe-2014440
How to easily can jams: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= OckTjdkUeWM
Distillation machine (extracts oils): https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2-4Kg-Flower-Herb-Per-Oregano_60790250668.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.1.4ff14324UStyu6
Step-by-step guideline to fermenting alcohol: https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-ferment-fruit-to-make-alcohol/
Alcohol distillation machine: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Factory-price-mini-alcohol-distiller-with_60655396499.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normalList.57.614f133cFXi971
Inexpensive glass jars for packaging: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Xuzhou-glass-manufacturer-250ml-500ml-1000ml_60591151485.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normalList.210.5ac826d5FaIZCE
Inexpensive glass bottles (for alcohol) https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/glass-bottle-wine-bottle-wholesale_959241930.html?spm=a2700.galleryofferlist.normalList.112.2ae2546bW8UE7o
References
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2. Brown, A. (2018). Orange Marmalade. Food Network, USA. Retrieved November 13, 2018, from https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/orange-marmalade-recipe-2014440
3. Bates, R. P., Morris, J. R., & Crandall, P. G. (2001). Principles and practices of small - and medium - scale fruit juice processing. FAO, Rome. Retrieved October 3, 2018, from http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y2515e/y2515e00.htm#toc
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5. Axe, J. (2018, August 28). Orange Oil — Enhance Your Immunity, Skin & Kitchen! Retrieved October 4, 2018, from https://draxe.com/orange-oil/
6. Giwa, S. O., Muhammad, M., & Giwa, A. (2018). Utilizing Orange Peels for Essential Oil Production. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences,13(1), 17-27. Retrieved November 13, 2018, from http://www.arpnjournals.org/jeas/research_papers/rp_2018/jeas_0118_6632.pdf
7. Taylor, R. (2018). How to Ferment Fruit to Make Alcohol. Leaf TV. Retrieved November 13, 2018, from https://www.leaf.tv/articles/how-to-ferment-fruit-to-make-alcohol/
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