View source for Kiwifruit

{{Taxobox
| name = Kiwifruit
| status = 
| image = Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis) 2 Luc Viatour.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Kiwifruit (cv Hayward), shown in section
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Dicotyledon|Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ericales]]
| familia = [[Actinidiaceae]]
| genus = ''[[Actinidia]]''
| species = '''''deliciosa'''''
| binomial = ''Actinidia deliciosa''
| binomial_authority = C.F.Liang.& A.R.Ferguson.}}
{{nutritionalvalue 
| name=Kiwifruit, fresh, raw 
| kJ= 255
| protein= 1.14 g
| fat= 0.52 g
| carbs= 14.66 g
| fiber= 3.0 g
| sugars= 8.99 g
| glucose= 4.11 g
| fructose= 4.35 g
| iron_mg= 0.31
| opt1n=[[Manganese]] 0.098 mg 
| opt1v= 
| calcium_mg= 34 
| magnesium_mg= 17 
| phosphorus_mg= 34 
| potassium_mg= 312 
| zinc_mg= 0.14 
| vitC_mg= 92.7 
| pantothenic_mg=
| vitB6_mg= 0.63 
| folate_ug= 25
| thiamin_mg= 0.027 
| riboflavin_mg= 0.025
| niacin_mg= 0.341
| right=1 
| source_usda=1 }}

[[Image:Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis) 1 Luc Viatour.jpg|thumb|240px|Kiwifruit (cv Hayward), shown whole and in section]]
The '''kiwifruit''' (or kiwi) is the edible [[berry]] of a [[cultivar|cultivar group]] of the [[woody plant|woody]] [[vine]] ''[[Actinidia deliciosa]]'' and [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]]s between this and other species in the genus ''[[Actinidia]]''. The Actinidia is native to [[Shaanxi]], [[China]]. 

The most common [[cultivar]]s of kiwifruit are oval, about the size of a large hen's egg (5&ndash;8&nbsp;[[centimetre|cm]] / 2&ndash;3&nbsp;[[inch|in]] long and 4.5&ndash;5.5&nbsp;cm / 1¾&ndash;2&nbsp;in diameter). It has a fibrous, dull green-brown skin and bright green or golden flesh with rows of small, black, edible seeds. The fruit has a soft texture and a unique flavour.

Originally known as the '''Chinese Gooseberry''', the fruit was renamed for marketing reasons in the mid-20th century, first to ''melonette'', and then to ''kiwifruit''. The latter name was chosen for the indigenous New Zealand bird, [[kiwi]], which is one of the country's [[national symbol]]s. The first renaming was done in order to avoid a [[tariff]] on [[melon]]s imported into the US.<ref>[http://www.zesprikiwi.com/history.htm Zespri kiwifruit history and time line<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It is not uncommon outside New Zealand and Australia for the fruit to be referred to simply as "kiwi". Today, kiwifruit is a commercial crop in several countries.
==History==
[[Image:2005kiwi_fruit.PNG|thumb|left|Kiwifruit output in 2005]]
{| class="wikitable" style="clear:right; float:right; margin:0 0 1.5em 1em;"
|+Top Kiwifruit Producers - 2005<br />(million metric ton)
|-
| {{ITA}} || align="right" | 0.48
|-
| {{NZL}} || align="right"| 0.28
|-
| {{CHI}} || align="right" | 0.15
|-
|  || align="right"| 0.08
|-
| {{GRE}} || align="right" | 0.04
|-
| {{JPN}} || align="right" | 0.04
|-
| {{IRN}} || align="right" | 0.02
|-
| {{USA}} || align="right" | 0.02
|-
| {{CAN}} || align="right" | 0.01
|-
| {{QC}} || align="right" | 0.01
|-
| {{CAM}} || align="right" | 0.01
|-
|'''World Total''' || align="right" | '''1.14'''
|-
|colspan=2|''Source: <br/ >[[United Nations|UN]] [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO)''[http://faostat.fao.org/faostat/form?collection=Production.Crops.Primary&Domain=Production&servlet=1&hasbulk=0&version=ext&language=EN]
|}
''Actinidia deliciosa'' is native to southern [[China]], where it is declared as the "National Fruit" of the [[People's Republic of China]].<ref>[http://www.123independenceday.com/china/national-symbols.html National Symbols of China<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Other species of ''Actinidia'' are also found in India and range east to [[Japan]] and north into southeastern [[Siberia]]. Cultivation spread from India in the early 20th century, when seeds were introduced to [[New Zealand]] by [[Mary Isabel Fraser]], the principal of [[Wanganui]] Girls' College, who had been visiting mission schools in India. The seeds were planted in 1906 by a Wanganui nurseryman, [[Alexander Allison]], with the vines first fruiting in 1910. 

The familiar cultivar ''Actinidia deliciosa'' 'Hayward' was developed by Hayward Wright in [[Avondale, New Zealand]] around 1924. It was initially grown in domestic gardens, but commercial planting began in the 1940s. Italy is now the leading producer of kiwifruit in the world, followed by China, New Zealand, [[Chile]], [[France]], [[Greece]], Japan and the [[United States]]. In China, kiwifruit was traditionally collected from the wild, but until recently China was not a major producing country.<ref>[http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjchs/2003/026.php Kiwifruit planting and production in China]</ref> In China, it is grown mainly in the mountainous area upstream of the [[Yangtze River]]. It is also grown in other areas of China, including [[Sichuan]].<ref>[http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjchs/2001/1.php Kiwifruit in China]</ref>

==Names==
This fruit had a long history before it was commercialised as ''kiwifruit'' and therefore had many other older names.

In [[Chinese language|Chinese]]:<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%9C%AC%E8%8D%89%E7%B6%B1%E7%9B%AE/%E6%9E%9C%E9%83%A8
| accessdate = 2007-05-07
| last = 李
| first = 时珍
| title = 本草纲目·果部}}</ref> 
* [[Macaque]] [[peach]] (獼猴桃 ''míhóu táo''): the most common name
* Macaque [[pear]] (猕猴梨 ''míhóu lí'')
* Vine pear (藤梨 ''téng lí'')
* Sunny peach (阳桃 ''yáng táo'')
* Wood berry (木子 ''mù zi'')
* Hairy bush fruit (毛木果 ''máo mù guǒ'')
* Unusual fruit or wonder fruit (奇異果 ''qíyì guǒ''): the most common name in [[Taiwan]] and [[Hong Kong]] (奇異果 ''kay yee goh''). A quasi-transliteration of "kiwifruit", literally "strange fruit".

When introduced to New Zealand by Isabel Fraser it was called ''yáng táo'' in China. People in New Zealand thought it had a [[gooseberry]] flavour and began to call it the ''Chinese gooseberry'', although it is not related to the [[Grossulariaceae]] (gooseberry) family. 

New Zealand exported the fruit to the US in the 1950s. Among the exporters was the prominent produce company Turners and Growers, who were calling the berries ''melonettes'', because the name ''Chinese gooseberry'' had political connotations due to the [[Cold War]]. An American importer, Norman Sondag of [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]], complained that ''melonettes'' was as bad as ''Chinese gooseberry'' because melons and berries were both subject to high import tariffs. In June 1959, during a meeting of Turners and Growers management in [[Auckland]], Jack Turner suggested the name ''kiwifruit'' which was adopted and later became the industry-wide name.<ref>[http://www.zesprikiwi.com/kiwi_name.htm Zespri site, "How Kiwifruit Got Its Name" Retrieved on [[July 9]] [[2007]].] </ref>

Most New Zealand kiwifruit is now marketed under the brand-name label '''Zespri''' which is trademarked by a marketing company domiciled in New Zealand, ZESPRI International. The branding move also served to distinguish New Zealand kiwifruit from fruit produced by other countries who could cash in on the "Kiwi" name, as it was not trademarked. From 2005, Zespri launched a new promotional campaign worldwide featuring Japanese superstar [[Ayumi Hamasaki]] as their spokeswoman.

==Cultivars==
[[Image:Sa kiwi skin.jpg|thumb|right| Kiwifruit skin close up]]

Almost all kiwifruit in commerce belong to a few cultivars of ''Actinidia deliciosa'': 'Hayward', 'Chico', and 'Saanichton 12'. The fruit of these cultivars are practically indistinguishable from each other and match the description of a standard kiwifruit given at the head of this article.

[[Image:Golden kiwifruit.jpg|thumb|left| Sliced Golden Kiwifruit]]

A new Cultivar Group of ''Actinidia chinensis'' known as Gold Kiwifruit or "Hinabelle", with yellow flesh and sweeter, less acidic flavour resembling a tropical [[fruit salad]], was produced by the New Zealand [[Crown Research Institute]], [[HortResearch]] and is being marketed worldwide in increasing volumes. Some wild vines in India  have yellow fruit but are small and not commercially viable. Seeds from these plants were imported to New Zealand in 1987 and the company took 11 years to develop the new fruit through cross-pollination and grafting with green kiwi vines. Gold Kiwifruit have a smooth, bronze skin, a pointed cap at one end and distinctive golden yellow flesh with a less tart and more tropical flavour than green kiwifruit. It has a higher market price than green kiwifruit. Unlike the green cultivars, it is less hairy, so it can be eaten whole after rubbing off the thin, fluffy coat.

==Food value==
[[Image:Kiwifruitlg.jpg|right|thumb|Sliced kiwifruit]]
Kiwifruit is a rich source of [[vitamin C]], 1.5 times the [[Dietary Reference Intake|DRI]] scale in the US. Its [[potassium]] content by weight is slightly less than that of a [[banana]]. It also contains [[vitamin A|vitamins A]] and [[vitamin E|E]]. The skin is a good source of [[flavonoid]] [[antioxidants]]. The kiwifruit seed oil contains on average 62% [[alpha-linolenic acid]], an [[omega-3 fatty acid]].<ref name=sofadb>[http://sofa.bfel.de/ Seed Oil Fatty Acids - SOFA Database Retrieval]</ref> Usually a medium size kiwifruit contains about 46 kilocalories, 0.3-gram fats, 1 gm proteins, 11 gm carbohydrates, 75 mg vitamins and 2.6 grams dietary fiber.

Kiwifruit is often reported to have mild [[laxative]] effects, possibly because of the high level of [[dietary fibre]].<ref>{{cite web
| title = Kiwifruit promotes laxation in the elderly
| author = Rush et al.
| publisher = Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition
| date = 2002-06
| url = http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1440-6047.2002.00287.x
| accessdate = 2007-06-11}}</ref>

Raw kiwifruit is also rich in the protein-dissolving enzyme [[actinidin]], (in the same family of [[thiol]] [[protease]]s as [[papain]]), which is commercially useful as a meat tenderizer but can be an [[allergen]] for some individuals. Specifically, people allergic to [[latex]],  [[papaya]]s or [[pineapple]]s are likely to be allergic to kiwifruit also. Reactions include tingling and sore mouth; swelling of the lips, tongue and face; rash; vomiting and abdominal pain; and, in the most severe cases, breathing difficulties, wheezing and collapse. The most common symptoms are unpleasant itching and soreness of the mouth, with the most common severe symptom being wheezing. Severe symptoms are most likely to occur in young children.

This enzyme makes raw kiwifruit unsuitable for use in desserts containing [[milk]] or any other [[dairy]] products which are not going to be served within hours, because it soon begins to digest milk proteins. This applies to gelatin-based desserts as well, as the actinidin will dissolve the collagen proteins in gelatin very quickly, either liquifying the dessert, or preventing it from solidifying. However, the [[United States Department of Agriculture|U.S. Department of Agriculture]] suggests that cooking the fruit for a few minutes before adding it to the gelatin will overcome this effect.<ref name="USDA"> {{cite web
  | title = How To Buy Fresh Fruits
  | author =  USDA Agricultural Marketing Service
  | publisher = [http://usda.gov/ United States Department of Agriculture ]
  | date = 1994-01
  | url = http://www.ams.usda.gov/howtobuy/ffruits.pdf
  | accessdate = 2006-12-02 }}</ref> 
Sliced kiwifruit has long been regularly used as a garnish atop whipped cream on one of [[New Zealand]] and [[Australia]]'s favourite desserts, the [[pavlova (food)|pavlova]].

==Cultivation==
[[Image:Kiwi Fruit Orchard n.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Kiwifruit orchard, North Island, New Zealand]]Kiwifruit can be grown in most temperate climates with adequate summer heat. Where ''Actinidia deliciosa'' is not hardy, other species can be grown as substitutes.

Kiwifruit is commercially grown on sturdy support structures, as it can produce several tonnes per hectare, more than the rather weak vines can support. These are generally equipped with a watering system for irrigation and frost protection in the spring.

Kiwifruit vines require vigorous pruning, similar to that of grapevines. Fruit is borne on one-year-old and older canes, but production declines as each cane ages. Canes should be pruned off and replaced after their third year.

Kiwifruit plants are normally [[Plant sexuality|dioecious]], meaning that individual plants are male or female. Only female plants bear fruit, and only when pollenized by a male plant. One male [[pollenizer]] is required for each three to eight female vines. An exception is the cultivar 'Issai', a hybrid (''Actinidia arguta x polygama'') from Japan, which produces perfect flowers and can self-pollinate; unfortunately it lacks vigour, is less hardy than most ''A. arguta'' forms and is not a large producer.

Kiwifruit is notoriously difficult to [[pollinate]] because the flowers are not very attractive to bees. Some producers blow collected pollen over the female flowers. But generally the most successful approach is [[saturation pollination]], where the bee populations are made so large (by placing hives in the orchards) that bees are forced to use this flower because of intense competition for all flowers within flight distance.  The kiwifruit tree is actually a vine.

<gallery>
 Image:Kiwi-Flower, male.jpg|Female flower
 Image:Kiwi-maennliche-bluete.jpg|Male flowers
</gallery>

==Preparation and consumption==
[[Image:KiwifarmHP356.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Kiwifruit farm in [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[India]]]]
[[Image:Kiwifruit spoon.jpg|thumb|left|250px|A kiwifruit spoon specifically designed for eating kiwifruit]]

Kiwifruit can be eaten whole, like an apple (and, rarely, even including the skin, which increases the tartness), cut in half and eaten like a [[passion fruit]] or peeled and sliced, like a pineapple. For people who prefer not to eat the skin, the fruit can be cut in half and then the flesh scooped out with a spoon. Kiwifruit is sometimes sold with a [[spife]], a plastic tool designed for this purpose with a spoon at one end and a knife at the other.  Another method is to slice the fruit into several rounds about 5&nbsp;mm (¼&nbsp;in) thick, possibly cutting each round into quarters, and serving it, skin-on, as a platter or with plain yogurt.

Kiwifruit can be peeled using a potato peeler, drawing up from the bottom towards the thicker, harder end where the fruit was attached to its branch. Cutting "against the grain" releases juice which lubricates the blade and a swifter, cleaner cut results.

<br />
<br />

==Notes==
{{Commons|Kiwi fruit|Kiwifruit}}
{{wikispecies|Actinidia deliciosa}}
{{reflist|2}}


==Further reading==

*[http://kiwi-fruit.info How to grow kiwifruit vines and nutritional data]
*[http://www.zespri.com/ Zespri's international website]
*[http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/kiwifruit_ars.html Purdue University NewCROP]
*[http://www.daleysfruit.com.au/fruit%20pages/kiwifruit.htm Kiwifruits in Australia]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Undef&name=kiwifruit&srchmode=1&keep=1&a=Go&lvl=3  NCBI's taxonomy browser] 
*[http://www.ellendick.com/wildbees/ Photos of kiwifruit and alfalfa pollination in California]
*[http://www.seeka.co.nz/ Seeka Kiwifruit Industries website]

[[Category:Fruit]]
[[Category:Pollination management]]

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[[es:Actinidia deliciosa]]
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