It’s our goal to continually revitalize the European food industry with new raw ingredients and innovative ideas.
See below for a preliminary overview of the raw ingredients that we import. Depending on the application, we can provide these as puree, juice, juice concentrate, aroma, extract, powder and flakes.
Açai
EUTERPE OLERACEA, ARECACEAE
This member of the palm family grows in bunches, and can reach a height of 25 cm. Its olive-green leaves are large, the numerous blossoms are yellowish in colour, and each plants produces about 3-6 kg of fruit per season. The Açaí berries are distinguished by their high content of calcium and iron, vegetable fats and proteins. Also, it is rich in anthocyanin that has an antioxidative effect on the body. With its deep red colour and unique, mild taste, it is perfect for mixing with other red fruits.
The up to 3 metre high Acerola shrub comes from Central America and Brazil. The bushes are grown in small plantations and harvested 3-4 times a year. The fruits are 1-3 cm in size, yellow-orange to red, have a very thin skin and are juicy sweet-sour to very sour. They look similar to cherries, although they are not related. With around 1700 mg vitamin C per 100 g fruit flesh, they have at least 30 times as much as the lemon.
As a natural source of Vitamin C, it is often combined with other valuable contents such as Acerola and is used in numerous areas of food production – be it as an additive in fruit juices, in dietary supplements or for refining sweets and ice-cream. The organic variant of the fruit powder is usually used in the organic baking industry to improve the properties of pastry. It is not possible to export the fresh fruit which is why it is mainly shipped as a juice concentrate, fruit puree or fruit powder. tropextrakt garantuees that the traded acerola powder has a 17 % concentration of ascorbic acid which delivers optimal process and product characteristics (hygroscopicity) with a view to subsequent processing. This promise implicates that the production process need to meet high demands.
Special requirements regarding the processing of Acerola
The special requirements start at the very beginning, the time of harvest. Only unripe acerola cherries have the expected, very high content of vitamin C. When ripening, the fruits get increasingly aromatic but the contained vitamin C decreases. On top, the unripe fruits have to be processed very fast after being harvested. They go bad very easily and are therefore not suitable to be traded as fresh fruits on longer distances. Suppliers that buy acerola juice of third parties to produce acerola powder include an additional hurdle for quality at this stage: If the juice wasn’t processed out of the unripe fruits early or fast enough, the vitamin C concentration will be reduced, which is than true also for the acerola powder that is generated on the next level. Also soiling could have happened on the previous stage and are then impossible to be removed. A problem on its own are “natural Vitamin C powders” in the market that are not 100% pure but contain synthetic substances at the same time.
100 % natural Vitamin C “Made in Brasil”
The brasilian firm Duas Rodas that is represented exclusively by tropextrakt in selected European countries, focused early on the optimized processes to produce acerola powder. Founded in 1925 by German emigrants, Duas Rodas ist today Latin Amerikas largest flavor house and FSSC-certified. In its own development department Duas Rodas had conducted comprehensive research on the characteristics of acerola powder and proved that the product abilities are minimum on a par with synthetic vitamin C in all relevant dimensions. The company met the special requirements of the processing of acerola by installing the manufacturing plant directly into the region of cultivation in the North-East of Brasil. This way, the acerola fruits don’t need to be transported a long way but are directly processed after harvesting. The method of processing – spray dried powdering – is very gentle and preserves the natural vitamin C concentration the best way.
At “vita foods Europe”, a fair that will take place 15. to 17. May 2018 in Genf, we will present our acerola powder with 100 % natural Vitamin C.
The Aloe Vera belongs to the family of lily plants and is native to almost all subtropical regions of the world. It reaches a height of 60 to 90 cm and consists almost entirely of leaves that sit on a short shoot. These 40 to 50 cm long, pale green leaves form a basal leaf rosette and are at her approach 6 to 10 cm wide. They have horny, white spines at their edges.
Aloe Vera: an allrounder with a long tradition
In its homeland, the Arabian Peninsula, Aloe Vera has been used for over 6,000 years both for external applications and for consumption. Meanwhile, the plant known as “Real Aloe” is cultivated in all subtropical and tropical regions of the world, such as Thailand or Mexico. The Aloe Vera plant belonging to the grass tree plants are said to have “healing properties”, which is why, despite the slightly bitter taste, a real hype about Aloe Vera products has emerged.
Concentrated Regeneration Power: Aloe Vera
Close up Aloe Vera Plant.
The effect of Aloe Vera is appreciated in the food industry
Today, consumers often like the taste what healthiness. The Aloe Vera plant has already proven to be a magnet for conscious consumers. While the yellowish resin spontaneously emerging from the plant when cutting off the aloe vera leaves should be treated with caution, the gentle Aloe Vera gel obtained from the water storage tissue of the leaves works wonders: a high content of polysaccharides and simple sugars such as glucose, water-soluble vitamins as well as Amino acids form a unique combination. Aloe vera, for example, can be used to create a special taste in novel soft drinks, excellent dairy products or innovative smoothies, but above all to conscious buyers. Aloe Vera is a natural regulator of human metabolism, since it is beneficial for the intestinal flora Stimulates cells of the immune system or arranges the formation of synovial fluid.
From pure juice to natural diced cubes – Aloe Vera is available in a broad diversity
Aloe Vera juices and juice concentrates
The most well-known variations at the moment are pure Aloe juices and juice concentrates. In the gentle Aloe Vera processing of the producing partner of tropextrakt, Aloe Vera juice is won as well as aloe vera concentrate in 10: 1. Both are suitable for the production of probiotic yoghurt or healthy muesli.
Slices of a aloe vera leaf and a bottle with transparent gel for medicinal purposes, skin treatment and cosmetics, close up BANNER, long format
Aloe Vera cubes
An increasingly popular product are the largely natural diced cube, which are used in dairy products, juices and fruit preparations. Aloe Vera as a piece, e.g. as largely natural diced cube in the sizes 3-5 mm, 6×6 mm and 10×10 mm can be used in ayurvedic milkshakes, refreshing juices or fruit preparations such as fruit salad or purees.
Aloe Vera powder
As a powder both spray-dried in 100-fold concentration and freeze-dried in 200-fold concentration, Aloe Vera can be used in almost all areas of food production: baked or confectionery as well as “healthy” as trendy sodas, creamy jams or invigorating teas. Aloe Vera dry extracts enable use in almost all areas of food production and are becoming increasingly popular in the baking and confectionery industry.
The Andean Blackberry is native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. The fruit of the prickly bushes is similar in shape and appearance to a large, oblong-shaped raspberry, with a deep red colouring and a very powerful, much stronger and somewhat bitter blackberry taste. The fresh fruit rarely reaches our markets from Columbia. Besides being eaten fresh, Andean Blackberries are also processed into juice, tasty preserves, gelees and jams, and also find their way into desserts, milkshakes and icecreams.
The Artichoke is an edible thistle-like cultivated plant with spiny leaves and is found in South America and the Mediterranean region. The green leaves and flowers contain bitter principles, caffeolychina acids and flavonoids. The active substances are beneficial for the production and flow of bile and are used for non-spe- cific digestive problems.
Aronia is similar in section to a small apple, although the flesh is a deep Bordeaux red and firmer to the tongue. The taste is tart and bitter, with a mild aroma. The pressed juice smells of bitter almonds. The main ingredients include sugar, a high content of anthocyan, amygdalin and tannic acids. Not very suitable as a fresh fruit, it is used as a colorant in the foodstuffs industry, and is also processed for use in sparkling wines, spirits and as a puree in yoghurt, preserves and gelees.
The blood orange is a variety of orange (Citrus sinensis) with crimson, blood- colored flesh. The fruit ranges from small- to medium-sized; its skin can be pit- ted or smooth. Blood oranges owe their distinctive appearance to a pigment called anthocyanin not typically found in citrus, but common in other red fruits and flowers. Not only the inside of the orange is darkly pigmented, but depend- ing on the variety, the outside may feature dark washes of red. The orange con- tains numerous minerals, and is an important source of around 14 vitamins.
The Boldo, the Camilla from Brazil, is an evergreen bush which has adapted to the dry climate zones or a small tree which can grow to be 6 m high. The healing effect of the plant was discovered by shepherds in essential oil and flavonoids. Boldin relaxes cramps in the stomach and supports the production of bile and stomach secretions. In South America, Boldo is widely used as tea.
This complex tropic bush with many branches and a deep root system is mainly found in Brazil. The very hot spicy root helps the body to strengthen its immune system and also improves the body’s energy levels and the ability to cope with stress. The root can be harvested after about five years. This is the time that the plant requires to mature and to develop the important active components, pfaffioside and betaecdysone.
The Brazil plum is a small tree rarely exceeding 6 m in height, with a foliage diameter of about 10 m. The fruit is around 2-4 cm in size, round, light-yellow to reddish when ripe, with a leathery skin. The whitish to reddish flesh is soft, juicy, sweet and with an aroma unknown in European fruits. Ideally suitable for mixing with gooseberries or plums.
The Calamansi plant, also known as calamondin, limau kastuari, kalamondin and kalamansi, is a natural hybrid of mandarin and oval kumqua. It is a very small sort of citrus, that looks similar to a lime but with a average diameter of 3,3 cm actually substantially smaller. It is also more sensitiv than other sorts of citrus. Its peel is that thin and tender that every fruit needs to be cut individually from the tree by hand.
The calamansi tree has a height of 3 to 5 meters high, and is erect, slender, densely branched close to the ground, slightly spiny, and bears broad-oval, dark green leaves on the surface, yellowish beneath, sweetly fragrant white flowers with 5 elliptic-oblong petals. The tree originates from the Philippines and that nowadays grows in many regions including Southeast Asia, India, Hawaii, Central and North America.
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Calamansi: tender peel, powerful potential
As small as the Calamansi, so great is its variety of flavors: sweet-sour and refreshing, it is reminiscent of mandarin, bitter orange, lime and pink grapefruit. This way, it is particularly suited as special contrast to hot sauces and marinades, but also fish or wok dishes. Its pulp gives an exotic touch to fruit juices, syrup or iced tea. It also perfectly refines vinegars or dressings. The peel adds a unique, individual taste to fine jams and sweets.
Calamansi is rich in phosphorus, calcium, iron and vitamin C. For this reason, the juice is diluted with water and sweetened with sugar traditionally drunk hot or cold as a preventive medicine and remedy for throat and respiratory diseases.
Pictures of the Calamondin tree und its fruit calamansi, at the farm of one of our producers in Vietnam, Spring 2018
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YOU WILL FIND MORE ABOUT CALAMANSI SHORTLY IN OUR BLOG
Camu-Camu is a 1-3m high bush which is found primarily in the north-western part of the Amazon basin. It mainly grows in regions which are subject to periodic flooding. The fruits taste sour which is why they are not usually eaten raw but used as an additive in refreshment drinks, ice cream and jams etc. Traditionally, Camu-Camu is used to strengthen the immune system and prevent viral infections. It has the highest levels of vitamin C of all known plants.
Carqueja is a perennial green plant which can grow to 1-2 meters high and produces yellowy-white flowers. It is usually found in Brazil, Columbia and in the Peruvian rain forest of the Amazons. Generally, Carqueja has a revitalising effect and strengthens the immune system.
The up to 10 cm large fruit of the Cashew tree looks like an apple. However in Europe, the cores of these fruits are much better known than the yellow to red fruit. The Cashew tree is also grown in India and Brazil. It should be mentioned that the relatively high level of Vitamin-C in the fruit is about five times higher than that found in oranges.
The wonderfully juicy and fruity tasting fresh fruit will not survive transportation to Europe. A delicious jam is made of the fruit puree and the juice is used in the drinks industry for refining fruit juice mixtures. In Brazil the juice of the “Caju” is a fixed part of the menu.
Cat’s claw is the edible bark of a climbing plant which grows up trees of up to 50 m in height in the Peruvian rain forest in the Amazons. Its name, ‘Cat’s claw’, was given to this plant because of the sharp thorns which are found on the underneath of the leaves that are arranged in pairs. The alkaloids in Cat’s Claw function like anti-oxidants, they keep cells healthy and support the immune system. In addition, it is also used for skin and digestive problems, for arthritis, gastritis etc.
Catuaba trees are found in the tropical rain forests of South America. Only the bark of the tree is used which, like the Lapacho tree, regenerates very quickly. Catuaba has a revitalising and strengthening properties and is a known aphrodisiac. The red colour of the Catuaba bark is a widespread ingredient in many refreshing drinks in Brazil. Catuaba has a high quantity of minerals and trace elements, in particular magnesium, potas- sium and calcium. Catuaba is used in large quantities in red wine.
A tree produces about 20-25 fruits, which grow directly from the trunk. The fruit contains 25-50 seeds embedded in a light, bitter-sweet tasting pulp. In order to separate the pulp from the seeds, the fruits are fermented. The bitter tannic components oxidise, the moist fruit flesh breaks up and falls off. The pulp is used mainly for the production of fruit juices and fruit products.
The coconut consists of several layers enclosing the hollow centre filled with a watery, potable fluid commonly known as coconut milk, although more correctly coconut water. Coconut water has a very pleasant bitter-sweet taste, while the white flesh has a nutty taste. The coconut is used in many applications and variants, such as the cosmetics industry, confectionery industry etc. or as a puree, chunks, milk, extract, flakes etc.
Coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from the roasted or baked seeds of several species of an evergreen shrub of the genus Coffea. The two most common sources of coffee beans are the highly regarded Coffea arabica, and the “robusta” form of the hardier Coffea canephora. The latter is resistant to the coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix), but has a more bitter taste. Coffee plants are cultivated in more than 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Once ripe, coffee “berries” are picked, processed and dried to yield the seeds inside. The seeds are then roasted to varying degrees, depending on the desired flavor, before being ground and brewed to create coffee.
This plant comes from the same species as the cacao-plant. The large dark brown and pumpkin-shaped fruits of the Capuacu-tree that grows in the Amazons have long been a primary source of food of the indigenous natives in Brazil. Until now the Capuacu-tree has only been farmed in very small plantations in its original habitat however the great potential of this fruit means that the farming areas are growing continuously.
Under the hard shell, the fruit flesh is creamy, tasty and full of nutrients; it can be enjoyed as a juice and is suitable for making ice-cream and sweet things. The seeds of the plant are excellently suited for making chocolate-like food.
When ripe, the fruit is a deep green-orange and around 8-10cm in diameter, and lies somewhere between a tangerine and an orange. The Dalandan flavour is also similar to these two fruits with an additional sharp bitter taste. Its fragrance is even more intensive than that of a lime. The pulp shines light orange and is excellently suited for the production of fruit preparations, refreshment drinks and sorbets. Also, in citrus jams combined with orange and sugar, the Dalandan lends products a very special aroma.
Damiana is a bush with yellow flowers which usually remains small. It grows in the dry warm regions of America between the south of the USA to South America. Damiana has diuretic properties. Too much can cause irritation of the urinary tracts and cause nausea. It is not yet clear which substances are responsible for the properties of Damiana. Essential oil, lots of resin, the bitter principle, Damiana, and the tannic acid, tannin, are two of the known substances.
The dragon fruit, also called pitahaya or pitaya, belongs to the family of Cactaceae and originates from Central and South America. The plant is grown in many different countries, inter alia Vietnam, Philippines, Taiwan, United States, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Mexico. Depending on the species, the fruit shows a different colour of its pulp, either red, pink, yellow or white. Even tough the white dragon fruit shows similar contents of polyphenols like the red species, only the latter one seems to develop promising antioxidant activities. A high content of betacyanins are typical of the red- or purple-coloured dragon fruit species. These bioactive compounds, additionally polyphenols, give the red dragon fruits strong antioxidant properties. As a result, they could show health beneficial effects by reducing oxidative stress in the body.
Its flavour is pleasant sweet, fresh and remains a little bit of cucumber. Therefore, red dragon fruit perfectly matches with fruit salads, sauces, ice creams and desserts. Furthermore, it adds unique taste in non-alcoholic beverages like smoothies and mixtures with milk and is also well suited to be used in alcoholic beverages like cocktails.
The awesome colour remains maybe to be the outstanding characteristic: The fruit pulp of red dragon fruit has a colour like dark fuchsia which is able to add visual beauty in addition to its pleasant taste.
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Like a big visual artwork on its own: red dragonfruit
Feijoa (Pineapple Guava)
Acca sellowiana, Myrtaceae
The home countries of this Feijoa plant, which is related to the guava, lie in South America. After 6 months a wonderful flower develops on the approximately 4 metre high shrub which then produced egg-shaped berries that are approx. 5-8 cm long; these berries have a hard leathery shell that is covered with small growths. In addition to the very high content of Vitamin C and pectin, the fruit also contains numerous minerals such as potassium, calcium and phosphorous.
The taste of the Feijoa is like a combination of pineapple and guava. The delicate fresh fruit is rarely available in shops in Europe. The fruit puree is ideally suited for manufacturing ice-cream and jams. The fruit powder and the fruit flakes allow a number of applications in the sweet manufacturing field.
Ginger is a bush with a durable, crawling and very complex rhizome. The quality varies depending on where the ginger root comes from. The main ginger rootstock contains a pasty balsam comprising essential oils and pungent constituents, primarily gingerols and shagaols. Ginger is a major component of the Asian cuisine and it is also manufactured to ginger oil and concentrated ginger for aromatising drinks.
Goji is also named goji berry or wolfberry and is the fruit oft two closely related species of boxthorn. These belong to the nightshade family which includes also the potato, eggplant, belladonna, chili pepper and tobacco. Both species are native to Asia, particular China and Mongolia. Boxthorn plants are shrubs, often thorny, growing 2 to 4 meters tall. The leaves are small, narrow, and fleshy, and are alternately arranged, sometimes in fascicles.
Goji berries are small red superfruits. They unite nearly all vital nutrients in a unique combination and contain on top a variety of secondary plant substances that often are not included sufficiently in our common food anymore. Since milleniums, gojy berries are an approved element of the traditional Chinese medicine with a view to various physical complaints. The goji berry is characterized as juicy, sweet and fruity and therefore ideal to be combined with chocolate and pastery. But also in cerials, fruit juices and tea it unfolds its exotic taste. Thus, its special benefit is the fact that goji it is not only very tasty but also incredible healthy which might be an explanation for its nickname “happy berry”.
CONTROLLED QUALITY OF HAPPY BERRIES
tropextrakt obtains the small red superfruits directly from its native country, faraway China. Nowhere else in the world, gojy berries develop such fine aromes that differ somewhere between cranberry and cherry. tropextrakt invests comprehensively in the selection, control and quality management of its imported raw materials. Gojis were included in our product catalogue ten years ago. Since then, we strictly pay attention that our partners and contracted farmers don’t use pesticides.
Our main supplier in this area holds the following certificates:
BRC
ISO 9001 2008
ISO 22000
Organic
Kosher
Halal
Goji berries are related to a long list of positive health effects: They contribute to the primary care for healthy eyes as well as a healty nervous system, they improve immune defense, build up the intestinal flora, help to detox the physical body, counteract pain and boost the capacity of the muscular system.
For that functional reason they are predestined to be applied to premium sport drinks, -snacks or –shakes. But also apart from the sports sector, goji berries can add healthy value to smoothies and soft drinks due to their content of vital substances, essential fatty acids, amino acids, a huge dose of vitamin A, C, E and B. The bright red color and the unparalleled fruitiness set a course regarding taste as well as texture of applications.
THE JUICE OF GOJI IS A TRUE ALLROUNDER – A TASTE OF ITS OWN
Due to its richness of vital substances and nutrients, goji berries became a trend food. Its sweet and at the same time sour-tart taste suit different preferences of taste and makes the goji berry an allrounder that can be used in nearly every food sector. With goji juice it is possible to create first class fruit smoothies that come across with a unique and refreshing taste. As a juice concentrate it is able to refine yogurt or milkshakes up to a culinary experience that is more than “just sweet” and convinces with a taste of its own. Further ways of supply are extracts that are also available in organic quality which can be used to refine cereals or cereal snacks.
The Soursop or Guanabana is related to the Annona that mainly grows in Central and South America. It grows on a tree that can reach a height of 8 metres and which is mainly cultivated in Asia and South America. The only slightly branched treetop is formed from laurel-like leaves and berry-like fruits. These dark green, spiked fruits are about 20 inches tall and weigh up to 4 pounds. Inside the well-tasting Guanabana waits yellowish-white, juicy pulp with sweet-sour fresh taste.
“Melon from the tree” – This makes the fruit of Guanabana so special
The so called Stachelannone is known in German under the name “Sauersack”, appears in other languages as Guanabana, Graviola, Soursop, Guyabano or Corossol. The prickly antonine unfolds its effect as soon as it is cut: a subtle, slightly fruity scent spreads, which already hints at the full-bodied taste of prickly pear as puree or juice. But not only because of the special taste it is worth to take a closer look at the Guanabana. By processing the spiked manure, all products become an excellent source of nutrients. Because the pulp of guanabana contains calcium and iron as well as plenty of vitamin A and C. In addition, the easily digestible fruit is just as full of natural glucose. This predestines them for use with exclusive sports snacks or fruity treats.
Soursop or Prickly Custard Apple on tree
Soursop fruit would soon be ripe
From tradition to modernity: tropextrakt makes guanbana usable as a puree for the food industry
The fruit of the Soursop is obtained from tropextrakt from the Philippines, Vietnam and Colombia, where it has now been cultivated as a plant. Guanabana traditionally still serves as herbal medicine in their countries of origin. For the food industry, the fruit is no less interesting, because it is in addition to their bioenergetic ingredients for the preparation of ice cream, baked goods, juices, yogurt and cereals an enrichment.
However, buying Guanabana as a whole fruit is difficult. Because the fruiting body of Guanabana proves to be extremely sensitive to pressure in the mature state and is therefore very difficult to transport. Thanks to tropextrakt a new flavor is available to the food industry! The pure guanabana puree can be further processed without any loss of quality into fruity soft drinks, fine ice cream and pudding or novel fruit bars. Due to the low acidity, the spiny-anannone as puree can refine even baked goods or dairy products.
The Guarana bush is a tropical, 10 meter high evergreen perennial climbing plant. This capsule fruit, which is roughly the same size as a hazelnut and which varies in colour from deep yellow to red-orange, bursts out of its shell when it is ripe and releases the predominantly brown seeds. Guarana is the name given to the paste made of the roasted seeds. Due to the caf- feine content, Guarana is processed like coffee to make stimulating refreshment drinks. Guarana is an ingredient in so-called “energy drinks”, but is also used in tonics, tablets, chewing gum, sweets and biscuits.
Fazenda de Guarana na Amazonia / Guarana farm in Amazon, Brazil
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guarana-pulver-plangege-brasilien-pflanzen
In these video, pharmacist Karina Luize da Silva speaks about key quality criteria of Guarana products.
The guava was originally native to the tropical regions of America, although the main suppliers of the guava today include both Brazil and Thailand. The fruit grows on bushy, 3-6 m-high trees, and has a diameter of 3-12 cm. Similar in shape to a cross between the apple and pear, it has a soft, waxy skin with a greenish-yellow colouring. The flesh is fresh and crispy, but mild and sweet with a whitish-yellow colour. The core is surrounded by the pulp full of seeds
Similar to the white-fleshed guava, there is also the red-fleshed guava. The taste of the aromatic guava is often described as a combination of pear, quince and fig. The fruit is extraordinarily rich in vitamins, and in addition to Vitamin C, contains the following ingredients: pectin, Provitamin A, the Vitamin B group and the minerals iron, calcium and phosphorous. Ideal as ingredients in fruit salads, ice-creams and preserves, the guava also makes one of the most aro- matic of all fruit juices.
The fruits are 2.5-5 cm in size, varying in shape from oblong to pear-shaped, with a thin, smooth, yellow skin. The flesh is only 1-4 mm thick, rich yellow, juicy and tastes bitter-sweet. The “Cajá” is highly valued in Brazil for its intense aroma, pronounced taste and rich yellow-orange colour. The fruit is rich in Vita- min C (30-73 mg), Provitamin A, calcium, phosphorous and iron.
Jaborandi is a bush which is found in South America and which can grow up to 1.5 m in size. It is an old medicine which the Indian shamans also smoked. The light green leaves are used which primarily contain alkaloid Pilocarpine. This substance activates the various glands in the body and is also a diuretic. This extract is also used in small quantities in drinks, snacks, yoghurts, sweets etc.
The Jaboticaba comes from Brazil and is a bush or tree-like plant that grows up to 10 metres in height. The fruits have a short stem connected directly to the trunk or branches of the plant. They are cherry-sized, oval to round, have a shiny brown-violet to black colour and have a thick, hard inedible exterior skin. The fruit flesh is juicy, soft, translucent white with 1-4 small red pips.
The taste is refreshingly sweet, similar to a mixture of black current and cherry. Due to the fruit’s high metabolic activity, importing the fresh fruits is difficult. The fruit puree is good for using in ice-cream and sorbets. It can also be used in milk and yoghurt products.
The jackfruit is a species of tree in the fig, mulberry, and breadfruit family. It grows on trees that can reach heights of 9 – 21 m. The plant is probably native to the rainforests in India and today mainly cultivated in Asia and parts of Africa. The jackfruit tree is well suited to tropical lowlands, and its fruit is the largest tree-borne fruit, reaching as much as 55 kg in weight, 90 cm in length, and 50 cm in diameter. A mature jackfruit tree can produce about 100 to 200 fruits in a year. The jackfruit is a multiple fruit, composed of hundreds to thousands of individual flowers, and the fleshy petals are eaten. In mature state, their peel is green or yellow.
Ripened Jackfruits on the tree.
Jackfruit peel a small button consecutive yellowish green.
Jackfruit is commonly used in South and Southeast Asian cuisines. The ripe and unripe fruit is used, as are the seeds. The fruit pulp has a nice intense orange colour and a strong aroma and a sweet pleasant taste with flavour notes of Banana, Mango, and Pineapple. This makes it well suitable to fruit-based sauces, chutneys and jams and also perfectly applicable to dairy products like puddings, ice cream, yoghurts and further desserts. As an ingredient in the creation of beverages like smoothies, fruit nectars, fruit juices and mixtures with milk, it adds an exotic and differentiating note.
Jatoba
Hymenaea courbaril L., Fabaceae
Jatoba is a tree which can grow to be 30 m in size and is found in the rain forest of the Amazons. It produces light green leaves, white flowers with an aroma and long brown fruits with large seeds. The popular Jatoba tea is made from the inside bark and serves as a natural source of energy. The modern Brazilian herbal medi- cine field describes Jatoba as a strengthening, kind-to-stomachs, stryptic and blood stilling substance. Jatoba contains a high quantity of minerals and trace elements such as manganese, soluble silicium and natural strontium which is important for the bone metabolism.
Jurubeba is a small tree, which can grow up to 3 m in size, and which has heart-shaped leaves that are soft at the top and fibrous underneath. The tree produces a small yellow fruit and lilac or white flowers. There are male and female trees which grow in the north of Brazil and other tropical areas of South America.
The Kola tree is now cultivated in all tropical regions. The Kola tree, which usually grows to a height of any- where between 10 and 15 m, is a tropical plant which flowers all year and bears fruit. The fruit comprises 5 bellow capsules, each carrying 10 seeds, which often contain about 2.5% caffeine, polyphenole, tannic acids as well as starch, fats, minerals. The effect is stimulating and strengthening due to the caffeine and theobro- mine content. Thanks to Coca-Cola, Kola has become a worldwide brand associated with the ‘American Way of Life’.
Liquorice is made from sweetwood. The plant originates from Central Asia. Sweetwood is a long-living, up to 2 m high, bush. The plant first produces a tap root, later a wooden rhizome and secondary roots. The sweetwood root contains saponin and flavoids, including the sweet-tasting glycyrrhizin, chalkone and cumarine. Glycyrrhizin is also able to help irritable coughs, can reduce inflammation and increases the fluidity of mucus. Sweetwood extracts are also used to aromatise medicines and sweets.
A growing favourite amongst citrus fruits, the small but “intensive” lime is still used in Europe mainly as an ingredient in cocktails. Highly aromatic and some- times with an even higher citric acid content than the lemon, the lime is ideal for giving a “fresh” taste to salad dressings, ice-cream, juices etc., giving dishes that final extra “twist”.
Related to the lychee, the longan grows in bunches like grapes on trees of up to 20 m in height. The fruit is about 2-2.5 cm in size, with a firm, brownish skin. The flesh is light, sweet-smelling and pleasant, and is more aromatic and some- what more tangy than the lychee. The fruits can be consumed raw or used in marmalades, gelees, syrup, desserts etc.
The lulo bush is a native of Ecuador. Its fruit is also known as the Quito orange or naranjilla. Like the pomegranate, the skin conceals edible seeds with a bitter- sweet taste. Since the export of fresh lulos is completely impossible, because the fruit is picked in the unripe state and then ripens very quickly, we can only obtain the preserved fruit, juice or nectar mixed with other fruit products. 100 g of the juice contain approx. 40 mg of Vitamin C.
The lychee is a plant of sub-tropical regions, and is today widespread in such climes. They are generally oval to round or heart-shaped. A notable feature is the shell, which consists of small five- or six-sided segments with thorn-like protrusions. Beneath the shell is the flesh, which is whitish, pearly, firm and juicy. The flesh tastes pleasantly bitter-sweet, with a hint of raisins and nut- meg.
Maca is a plant which grows just above the ground and which produces one egg-sized root bulb. For centuries Maca has been grown in the mountainous regions of Peru at heights of over 4000 m and is highly frost-resistant. It serves the local population for medical purposes and as a basic food. The dried root is used as a raw material for drinks, jams or puddings. The Maca extract is a rich combination of vitamins, minerals – particularly iron and iodine, amino acids and other active nutrients.
The Philippine Carabao, is considered to be the best mango in the world. This premium mango, which originates from India, has adapted particularly well to the Philippine climate and its quality has impressed both product developers and mango lovers across the globe. compared to the Alfonso mango, the Cara- bao has an astonishingly balanced ratio of sweet and sour and an inimitable aroma. The appearance of the ripe fruit is irresistible thanks to its deep yellow shell and wonderfully juicy aromatic flesh.
The mangosteen grows as a fruit of a rugged resistant and tropical tree. The evergreen plant grows relatively slowly up to a height of to 25 meters and can be well over 100 years old. The mangosteen tree is one of the few trees that need no pesticides in cultivation. The up to 5000 fruits per tree are harvested by hand all year round. Mangosteen is native to Malaysia, but has been cultivated since mid-19th century in much of Southeast Asia as well as in tropical areas of Central and South America. At its place of origin, mangosteen is also used for medical purposes. These include operations against internal and external infections, inflammation and wound treatment. The mangosteen fruit contains high levels of antioxidants: some of the best known are the xanthones, stilbenes, tannins, catechins and polyphenols. The mangosteen pulp has an exotic aroma with a mild-sour component, comparable to the taste of ripe apricots or pineapple. Jams, fruit juices but also meat and fish dishes give the mangosteen a delicate tropical note. With her sweet taste she transforms cocktails and in ice creams into exotic delights.
Marapuama grows in the tropical regions in the Amazons. It is a bush or a small tree with small white flowers which smell similar to jasmine. The bark, wood and roots are used. The main substance is the aromatic resin which has a tonic-like effect and is used as an aphrodisiac. This property means that Marapuama is sometimes also referred to as “Potency Wood”. This extract is normally used in energy drinks where it can be combined well with the extracts Catuba, Brazilian Ginseng, Guarana and Damiana, however it is also used in milk products, sweets, etc.
In Europe, Mate is currently setting the trend for a new generation of energy drinks called “Green Energy”. In contrast to artificial or natural caffeine, which is a highly processed product made out of coffee, mate is a “complete” natural product. Due to the gentle processing, it still contains other ingredients that improve the absorption of caffeine. Valuable ingredients such as polyphenols and theobromine cause an additional positive health effect. Due to the high content of vitamins and minerals, mate can be almost referred to as a dietary supplement. The mate that is distributed by tropextrakt is standardized with regard to caffeine, polyphenols and theobromine, so that the positive effect of these substances may be claimed on consumer products.
The taste of the green, unroasted mate, the yerba mate, is determined by green herbal aromas reminiscent of green tea, and appear slightly bitter and astringent. In soft drinks and juices, Mate can be combined very well with fruit and citrus notes. With its activating effect, Mate is predestined for use in energy drinks and nutritional supplements. But also confectionery such as sweets or chocolate as well as teas get a distinctive and tasty flavor.
We see further great potential for the future in the application to dairy products. The taste of Mate reminds of green tea, which is already very popular as ice cream that is served in sushi bars and exclusive restaurants.
Mate, San Ignacio Mini, Argentina
Mate tree: endless green
Mate is an evergreen plant native to the subtropical regions of South America such as southern Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. In the countries of origin, mate is very popular and is consumed as hot or cold tea. As an ancient “cultural asset” many stories and myths from the indigenous culture of Brazil relate to Mate.
A solid product obtained from fermented coconut milk, with a very interesting texture and consistency. Whitish, almost neutral in taste and stable when coo-ked, this product can be used in almost any fruit preparation or as a substitute for fruit.
Nopal, which originally comes from Mexico, is a rampant bush-like plant with fleshy leaves. The succulent plant can reach a height of 4 metres and is made of up to 90% water. The base of the stems and the leaves contain calcium, potassium, magnesium, silicium, sodium as well as traces of iron, aluminium and manganese. Due to the high quantity of pectin, it is said to be able to reduce cholesterol. The extract can be used in a number of applications and serves as a functional source of nutrients for dietary supplement products and drinks.
The oak is a tree which can grow to be 50 m tall with a large crown and gnarled branches. The bark of the oak, which is taken from coppice shoots, young branches and twigs, is used. The main active substances are tannic acids and flavonoids. These promote digestion, reduce cholesterol and can be used to naturally age drinks such as e.g. wine.
The papaya is an oval fruit with a yellowish-green skin and orange-red flesh. Embedded in the flesh is a gelee-like mass containing inedible seeds that look like peppercorns. Its buttery, juicy flesh is reminiscent in taste to apricot, melon and raspberry. It contains many valuable ingredients, such as the enzyme pa- paine, and has an extremely low calorific value. Papaya is frequently used in multi-fruit nectars or in the dried form in exotic dry fruit mixtures.
The Passion Fruit is a traditional healing plant from the tropics. The name passion fruit or passion flower comes from its appearance and the arrangement of the pollen sacks of the beautiful flower. Many people see the cross and the thorny crown of Jesus in this flower.The extract is made from the leaves and the stems of the up to 10 m long climbing plant. On the one hand, it is good for the heart and the arteries and on the other it helps nervous dispositions. The active substances in the Passion Fruit extract are mainly flavonoids, glycoside and traces of essential oils.
The maracuja is a plant of warm tropical regions. The fruit is round to egg-shaped. In contrast to other passion fruits, it has a much higher Provitamin A content. Maracuja is often processed with other fruits to produce tasty, re- freshing beverages, and is also used in ice-cream, puddings, sweets, liqueurs etc.
The Lapacho tree is found in South America, primarily in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The tree can reach a mighty 30 m in height and can live up to 700 years. The healing powers lie in the bark of the Lapacho tree. It contains a rare combination of two antibacterial substances. The Lapacho extract is mainly used in drinks, snacks, bread, chewing gum, sweets and shakes.
The physalis is a 1-2 m-high herbal plant. It is marked by the unique packaging of every individual fruit. The light-brown, lantern-like carapace, the enlarged calyx, contains a single fruit about the size of a cherry. The greenish-yellow to bright-yellow, juicy berries are pleasantly bitter-sweet, with an intense aroma. The fruits are commonly processed into juice, preserves, gelees, jams and ice- cream, and are also used in cocktails or as a topping for fruit tarts etc.
This aromatic plant, which is at home in Mediterranean regions, is a 50 to 150 cm high evergreen semi-bush with needle-like leaves. Its leaves contain a lot of essential oil, which is rich in camphor, as well as tanning agents and bitter principles. When consumed, it stimulates the appetite and helps digestive problems. It can be used externally in baths or as a cream to treat rheumatic illnesses and also has rejuvenating properties. Rosemary is also used to aromatise soaps, perfumes, snuff and alcoholic drinks.
Schizandra is a very rare climbing plant with pleasant smelling yellow-pink flowers which can grow up to 8 metres long. A spiky cluster, which can grow to 12 m in length and bear up to 25 red juicy berries, develops from the female flowers. These berries are edible, although the taste which can range from sweet, sour, hot, bitter to salty, takes some getting used to. In its native China, the fruit is called “Wu Wie Zi” which means “fruit with 5 tastes”. In the winter the extract, which is produced from small branches, can be used to strengthen the immune system and in the spring, Schizandra is used to combat spring tiredness. Apparently Schizandra is also supposed to rejuvenate and enjoys a reputation as a love plant.
St. John’s Wort is a very widespread herbal plant which can grow up to 60 cm in size in dry, sunny locations. The flowers of the St. John’s Wort are yellow; the leaves contain round secretion sacks. Today St. John’s Wort is highly popular in preparations made of plant extracts for depression, nervousness and insomnia. The red colour of the flower juice is an indication of one of the active ingredients, hypericin. The medically effective substances are found in the highest concentrations when the St. John’s Wort is in full bloom.
The starfruit is also known as the carambole or prickly pear. Probably origina- ting from Malaysia, it is now cultivated widely throughout all tropical regions. Light-yellow to pale green in colour and 7-12 cm in length, the fruits consist of five individual ribs with a glossy skin, and when sliced make an ideal decora- tion for salads and ice-creams. The flesh tastes bitter-sweet, and has a high content of Vitamin C, minerals and Provitamin A.
The sugarcane plant is of major economic importance as it accounts for 70 % of the world’s sugar production. Besides that, the plant has turned out to be an effective source of phytochemical substances like phenolic acids, flavonoids and phytosterols which are primary located in the rind, and triterpenoids with the highest content in the pith. As a result, sugarcane exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimutation effects.
The sugarcane juice is slightly cloudy, its taste pleasant sweet and refreshing with gentle caramel notes, excellent to be combine with fruits flavours. Sugarcane juice is a delicious refreshment beverage as it is traditionally in many countries of Central- and South America as well Southeast Asia. Moreover, it is perfectly mixable with other soft drinks – purely delightful!
Sugarcane field
Surinam Cherry
Eugenia uniflorum, Myrtaceae
The Surinam cherry is cultivated mainly in its original native region of Brazil. The cherry-size, thin-skinned red berries vary in taste according to the inten- sity of the colour and type, which is usually pleasantly tart and fruity. They are best eaten when red, although the flesh of the fruit, which is high in Vitamin C and – even more important – three times as high in Lycopene as a tomato, is generally used in preserves, gelees, beverages or chutney.
DThe Tamarillo, a solanum from Peru, also called tree tomato, grows in tropical heights between 1000 and 2500 metres. The orange to red coloured fruits, which look like tomatoes, grow on up to 5 m high bushes, are up to 9 cm long and weigh around 60 g.
Similar to the tomato, the tree tomato is used as a fresh fruit. Spreads, juices and even ice-parfaits can be made from the bitter-sweet, slightly tangy fruit flesh which is rich in vitamins.
The tamarind is an extremely versatile fruit, which originated from Africa, and is now cultivated in India, Arabic countries and Central America. Up to 18 cm in length, the so-called tree tomato has a bitter-sweet pith which is rich in pro- teins and ballast, amongst other things. Tamarinds are used as an additive in drinks and marmalades, and also as a seasoning in soups and sauces, and are therefore equally suitable for use in both sweet and savoury products.
This tea bush is evergreen, with lots of branches, which can almost become a tree if it is not tended. The plant is not found in the wild, it is cultivated in tropical regions. Only the very new slightly leathery furry leaves from bushes which are at least 3 years old are processed and then fermented. Thanks to the combination of ingredients and natural levels of caffeine in the plant, it combats tiredness and improves the concentration.
This bush, which comes in a number of smaller variations, grows to a height of 50 to 150 cm. The round hollow stem usually only has branches on the upper half and bears light pink to white flowers in ripsigen cymes. The Valerian root contains essential oil, iridoid and small quantities of lignane in two different compo- sitions depending on the age, type, origin and growth condition of the plant. However its calming and sleep- inducing properties are undisputed.
Watermelons are today cultivated in all tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. The smooth skin is 1-4 cm thick, and firm though not very resistant. The flesh is light- to dark-red or bright yellow, and contains up to 95% water. The taste is watery and sweet, ranging to very sweet. Watermelons can either be eaten raw, or used in cold dishes, desserts, sorbets, juices, nectars etc.
Yacon is a root vegetable that originates close to the Andes and is grown in South America but also in countries like Germany, Czech Republic, Japan and New Zealand. The tubers contain 70 to 80 % saccharides referring to the total dry mass. These saccharides consist of fructose, glucose, sucrose and mainly of fructooligosaccharides (FOS) which are known to show positive effects on digstive disorders. Furthermore, bioactive ingredients like phenolics and antioxidants can be found in the roots.
As a result, the yacon syrup and powder are very sweet and have delicious natural caramel notes. Thus, yacon is perfectly applicable for sweetening, cooking and baking and a possible replacement of or addition to maple syrup, caramel syrup, honey or treacle.
With its sweet notes, yacon is adDelicious ingredient in sauces, dressings, desserts, fruit and yoghurt preparations, cereals, cakes, ice cream, as well as smoothies, teas and coffee drinks.
Yuzu
Citrus junos, Rutaceae
Yuzu is related to the citrus fruit family and originates from China. Today most of the plantations are located in Japan and Korea. The yuzu tree is very winter-hard in contrast to other citrus trees. Its fruits have a thick shell and its fruit flesh is light yellow and not very juicy. The juice is very sour, but the aroma is excellent and unique. The fresh fruit is rarely served. The juice or small pieces are used as spicing agents or as vinegar substitutes and used for making citric acid. A rare product from Japan with a special aroma.
In Europe, yuzu juice was so far only known by the Star Chefs and Gourmets. We were the first suppliers that made the pure juice available for the food industry in Europe. In the recent past, you find a first variety of consumer products in the European market that contain the precious yuzu and its exquisite aromes. Imported by sea, we keep the “liquid gold” in 22-kg frozen containers ready for your call!
This is what characterizes the Yuzu fruit as unique: “little juicy, but particularly intense”
Only a small scratch on the peel with yellow to light orange color is required and Yuzu exudes its distinctive aroma that opens up new dimensions in the food industry: the sour-bitter-smelling fruit flesh of one fruit with the light weight of 100 grams encloses several dozen large seeds. Since the Yuzu fruit is incomparably intense and varied in taste, the description of Yuzu as a mixture between tangerine and grapefruit must be regarded as understatement. A few drops of Yuzu juice are enough to refine food and beverages with a sour, bitter and spicy touch along with the flowery aroma. However a Yuzu fruit provides only about 10 to 12 ml of juice, which explains the exclusive value of the Yuzu juice.
Pictures from a yuzu farm of one of our partners in South Korea
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A Japanese citrus fruit enchants the crowds
For several thousands of years, the Yuzu fruit has been growing in the middle Yangtze Basin in China. Only in November and December it is possible to harvest the rounded or slightly flattened Yuzu fruits. Even during this process they disperse their extremely pleasant and very complex aroma that is not to be compared with other known citrus flavors. Yuzu is suitable for the production of fresh and fruity ice cream flavors or creamy fruit yogurt and equally for first class soft drinks. Even confectionery, jams or pastry products can evolve into real high-end products, thanks to the Yuzu flavor. Due to the fresh and stimulating touch Yuzu is becoming increasingly popular for recipes of various kinds. Yuzu powder or Yuzu juice are now being used in upscale gastronomy as well as in the trendy bars of the world. Yuzu is trendy!
tropextrakt makes Yuzu Juice accessible for new creations
To buy the Yuzu fruit still turns out to be a problem in European countries, because the Yuzu is considered as exclusivity. Since it is far more complex than the lemon, tastes slightly bitter like grapefruit and yet also is reminiscent of the sweet mandarin, the juice of Yuzu is suitable to refine high-quality drinks and beverages. The complex flavors of Yuzu juice refine fruity soft drinks, cocktails and smoothies. Also top quality fruit juices or enlivening shakes receive a distinctive touch thanks to Yuzu.
Founded in 1925 by German immigrants in the south of Brazil, Duas Rodas is now one of the leading producers of raw food ingredients for Latin America and the rest of the world.
Production sites located in Brazil (3), Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Mexico and application laboratories in other locations make it possible to offer the best of each region.
For over 15 years, we have cooperated with Duas Rodas to provide high quality extracts, aromas, fruit powders, fruit flakes, etc to the European market.
