# Mandarin Oranges, more questions **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 25, 1999, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324 "1999-08-25T03:03:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@elbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/1 "1999-08-25T03:03:00Z")
I really feel we have not fully figured what’s up with tinned mandarin orange segments. My question is not how they get the peal off the fruit, I’m certain there is somewhere a machine for that. If you look at tinned mandarin oranges you will notice that they have had the outer membrane removed from each segment,though they are widely varying in size. This is the process I am interested in. How is this accomplished? Is it chemical? Someone must know. How can in be done on a machine when the segments are so delicate once the membrane is removed. I have tried to remove the outer membrane from segments of all kinds of oranges, tangerines and grapefruit and it’s just not easy to do, if you don’t believe me give it a try. I’m certain the peal of the fruit comes off very easly, but the membrane enveloping the segments? I think it’s a deep dark secret and there might actually be a horrendous chemical process involved that the powers that be have conspired to keep from us. Anybody got any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/2 "1999-08-25T03:13:00Z")
Yes. Have your doctor cut back on your lithium, don’t stare at the screensaver so long, put the cap back on the superglue and the liquid paper, put the bong away for awhile, and take a nap. Hope you get better soon. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/3 "1999-08-25T03:39:00Z")
The Dole company has a web site at (surprise!) [www.dole.com](http://www.dole.com) . Wandering around the site map I was led to a page devoted to Mandarin Oranges. They did not discuss their peeling process, but they did mention that the variety they use is the Japanese Satsuma orange. Perhaps it does not have the same fibrous covering? At any rate, there is also an “Ask Dole” section on the home page. Driving down to any of the grouped questions, there is a hypertext e-mail link where you can send in your own questions. Since this is not my question, I did not avail myself of the opportunity, but if the question is eating at your sanity, you have my permission to go ask them, yourself. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/4 "1999-08-25T06:17:00Z")
Damn, elbows, you and your mandarin oranges. You’re like these guys that worry about the structural differences between beer and pop cans! Hey, wait a minute … ---
**Author:** ![elbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@elbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbow)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 1999, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/5 "1999-08-25T14:34:00Z")
I have followed your suggestions and asked Dole, but I don’t think I’ll get a great answer for a couple of reasons. 1., Dole doesn’t make tinned mandarin oranges & 2., I really do thinks it involves some sort of process that no one wants to talk about. This is not the same as a discussion of the difference between beer and pop tins! Nobody eats beer or pop tins, I eat mandarin oranges and I am not alone! All I want is a reasonable explanation. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 1999, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/6 "1999-08-26T04:37:00Z")
**elbows** > [@](#): > > 1., Dole doesn’t make tinned mandarin oranges Do you notice the place in my post where I said that Dole uses Satsuma Oranges? I got that from the **Dole** site on the page where **Dole** talks about **their** product: **Mandarin Oranges**! It is the brand I usually buy, actually. Now you may never get an answer from them, but they most assuredly **do** both sell that product and discuss it on their web site. * * * Tom~ ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 1999, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/7 "1999-08-28T05:16:00Z")
Like i said in the other post i dont know how they do it for the tinned ones, but in restaurants the usual procedure is to **cut** the membrane off. Chefs first slice the peel off (this takes care of the outer edge of the membrane), then they cut out the segments where the membrane goes in between the segments. Peeling that membrane will result in the segment coming off. Cutting them out results in a nice peeled segment. ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 1999, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/8 "1999-08-28T14:01:00Z")
Somebody, PLEASE, find Elbows a satisfying answer to this. I’ve got some trivia-loving friends working on this, but this is Florida where canned citrus is heresy. I can just picture Elbows on top of your local K-Mart with a deer rifle because the canned mandarin orange question was not settled. Incidentally I tried these things once and came to the conclusion that they are related to oranges about as much as maraschino cherries are to real cherries. * * * “…send lawyers, guns, and money…” ``` Warren Zevon ``` ---
**Author:** ![elbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@elbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbow)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 1999, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/9 "1999-08-29T05:20:00Z")
I have done the section slicing thing recommended, and while effective, doesn’t really duplicate the tinned variety, which, of course, makes me suspicious. As an aside, does anyone have a tin of these orange that WASN’T processed in China, all the ones I can fine are? ---
**Author:** ![elbow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@elbow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbow)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 1999, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/10 "1999-08-31T16:24:00Z")
I know it’s drastic but I say we wake Cecil, I’ll poke him with the stick, you make a loud noise… ---
**Author:** ![Doobieous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/da6949/32.png) [@Doobieous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doobieous)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 1999, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/11 "1999-09-01T07:42:00Z")
Elbows: Hmm i think you might have to invoke the great god of knowledge, Cecil Adams to find the right answer (As you said :)) ---
**Author:** ![jls988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@jls988](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jls988)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/12 "2009-07-21T19:57:14Z")
From: [http://www.freshcut.com/fc1999.htm#story43](http://www.freshcut.com/fc1999.htm#story43) > [@](#): > > Loosening the Peel > The system for loosening citrus peelings is called vacuum infusion. Fruit is washed, then passed through a mechanical “perforation” or scoring process in which the peel is punctured randomly to a depth of 1 mm. Perforated fruit is placed in water and put under vacuum to evacuate air from the peeling. Once pressure is restored to normal, water or a water/enzyme solution rushes into the spaces to replace the evacuated air. > > “That essentially softens the peel and makes it much easier to remove,” Ismail explains. “After infusion, the fruit is delivered to a hopper and then moves individually to peeling heads composed of a set of blades and barbs. A thruster pushes the fruit through both the blades, which score the peel, and the barbs, which pull the peel off the fruit.” ---
**Author:** ![Casserole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b77776/32.png) [@Casserole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casserole)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/13 "2009-07-21T20:02:45Z")
Nice find, **jls988**! That’s on par with “How do they get the candy coating on M&M’s?” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/14 "2009-07-21T20:04:14Z")
Wow. I’ve been waiting almost ten years for the answer to this one. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/15 "2009-07-21T20:05:15Z")
> [@Doobieous](#): > > Elbows: Hmm i think you might have to invoke the great god of knowledge, Cecil Adams to find the right answer (As you said :)) [stupid inside joke no one who’s still around will understand] _DOOB’S GAY??!_ [/sijnowsawu] ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mandarin-oranges-more-questions/7324/16 "2009-07-21T20:08:56Z")
**jls988** – nice find on the research! With old threads, though, rather than resurrecting them (and making them “zombie threads”), we prefer that you start a new thread and link to the old one. If there’s more to be said about mandarin oranges, you can do that, but I’m going to lock this one. Welcome to the Boards! twickster, MPSIMS moderator