Lemon

This article is about the fruit. For other uses, see Lemon (disambiguation).

Lemon
A fruiting lemon tree. A blossom is also visible.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Rosids
Order:	Sapindales
Family:	Rutaceae
Genus:	Citrus
Species:	C. × limon
Binomial name
Citrus × limon, often given as C. limon (L.) Burm.f.

The lemon (Citrus × limon) is a species of small evergreen tree native to Asia.

The tree's ellipsoidal yellow fruit is used for culinary and non-culinary purposes throughout the world, primarily for its juice, which has both culinary and cleaning uses. The pulp and rind (zest) are also used in cooking and baking. The juice of the lemon is about 5% to 6% citric acid, which gives a sour taste. The distinctive sour taste of lemon juice makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade and lemon meringue pie.

History

See also: Citron § Origin & distribution

Lemon external surface and cross-section

The origin of the lemon is unknown, though lemons are thought to have first grown in Assam (a region in northeast India), northern Burma or China. A study of the genetic origin of the lemon reported it to be hybrid between bitter orange (sour orange) and citron.

Lemons entered Europe near southern Italy no later than the first century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated. They were later introduced to Persia and then to Iraq and Egypt around 700 AD. The lemon was first recorded in literature in a 10th-century Arabic treatise on farming, and was also used as an ornamental plant in early Islamic gardens. It was distributed widely throughout the Arab world and the Mediterranean region between 1000 and 1150.

The first substantial cultivation of lemons in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the 15th century. The lemon was later introduced to the Americas in 1493 when Christopher Columbus brought lemon seeds to Hispaniola on his voyages. Spanish conquest throughout the New World helped spread lemon seeds. It was mainly used as an ornamental plant and for medicine. In the 19th century, lemons were increasingly planted in Florida and California.

In 1747, James Lind's experiments on seamen suffering from scurvy involved adding lemon juice to their diets, though vitamin C was not yet known.

The origin of the word "lemon" may be Middle Eastern. The word draws from the Old French limon, then Italian limone, from the Arabic laymūn or līmūn, and from the Persian līmūn, a generic term for citrus fruit, which is a cognate of Sanskrit (nimbū, “lime”).

Varieties

Detailed taxonomic illustration by Franz Eugen Köhler.

The 'Bonnie Brae' is oblong, smooth, thin-skinned, and seedless; mostly grown in San Diego County.

The 'Eureka' grows year-round and abundantly. This is the common supermarket lemon, also known as 'Four Seasons' (Quatre Saisons) because of its ability to produce fruit and flowers together throughout the year. This variety is also available as a plant to domestic customers. There is also a pink-fleshed Eureka lemon, which's outer skin is variegated from green and yellow stripes.

The 'Femminello St. Teresa', or 'Sorrento' is native to Italy. This fruit's zest is high in lemon oils. It is the variety traditionally used in the making of limoncello.

The 'Meyer' is a cross between a lemon and possibly an orange or a mandarin, and was named after Frank N. Meyer, who first introduced it to the USA in 1908. Thin-skinned and slightly less acidic than the Lisbon and Eureka lemons, Meyer lemons require more care when shipping and are not widely grown on a commercial basis. Meyer lemons often mature to a yellow-orange color. They are slightly more frost-tolerant than other lemons.

The 'Ponderosa' is more cold-sensitive than true lemons; the fruit are thick-skinned and very large. It is likely a citron-lemon hybrid.

The 'Yen Ben' is an Australasian cultivar.

Culinary uses

Lemon juice, rind, and zest are used in a wide variety of foods and drinks. Lemon juice is used to make lemonade, soft drinks, and cocktails. It is used in marinades for fish, where its acid neutralizes amines in fish by converting them into nonvolatile ammonium salts, and meat, where the acid partially hydrolyzes tough collagen fibers, tenderizing the meat, but the low pH denatures the proteins, causing them to dry out when cooked. Lemon juice is frequently used in the United Kingdom to add to pancakes, especially on Shrove Tuesday.

Lemon juice is also used as a short-term preservative on certain foods that tend to oxidize and turn brown after being sliced (enzymatic browning), such as apples, bananas, and avocados, where its acid denatures the enzymes.

Lemon juice and rind are used to make marmalade, lemon curd and lemon liqueur. Lemon slices and lemon rind are used as a garnish for food and drinks. Lemon zest, the grated outer rind of the fruit, is used to add flavor to baked goods, puddings, rice, and other dishes.

The leaves of the lemon tree are used to make a tea and for preparing cooked meats and seafoods.

Other uses

Industrial

Lemons were the primary commercial source of citric acid before the development of fermentation-based processes.

As a cleaning agent

The juice of the lemon may be used for cleaning. A halved lemon dipped in salt or baking powder is used to brighten copper cookware. The acid dissolves the tarnish and the abrasives assist the cleaning. As a sanitary kitchen deodorizer the juice can deodorize, remove grease, bleach stains, and disinfect; when mixed with baking soda, it removes stains from plastic food storage containers. The oil of the lemon's peel also has various uses. It is used as a wood cleaner and polish, where its solvent property is employed to dissolve old wax, fingerprints, and grime. Lemon oil and orange oil are also used as a nontoxic insecticide treatment.

A halved lemon is used as a finger moistener for those counting large amounts of bills, such as tellers and cashiers.

Medicinal

Lemon oil may be used in aromatherapy. Lemon oil aroma does not influence the human immune system, but may enhance mood. The low pH of juice makes it antibacterial, and in India, the lemon is used in Indian traditional medicines (Siddha medicine and Ayurveda).

Other

One educational science experiment involves attaching electrodes to a lemon and using it as a battery to produce electricity. Although very low power, several lemon batteries can power a small digital watch. These experiments also work with other fruits and vegetables.

Lemon juice may be used as a simple invisible ink, developed by heat.

Lemon alternatives

Lemons in growth

Many plants taste or smell similar to lemons.

• Certain cultivars of basil
• Cymbopogon (lemongrass)
• Lemon balm, a mint-like herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae family
• Two varieties of scented geranium: Pelargonium crispum (lemon geranium) and Pelargonium x melissinum (lemon balm)
• Lemon thyme
• Lemon verbena
• Limes, another common sour citrus fruit, used similarly to lemons
• Certain cultivars of mint
• Magnolia grandiflora tree flowers

Flower

Production

In 2013, world production of lemons (data combined with limes) was 15.2 million tonnes, led by India, Mexico and China as the main producers (table). Argentina and Brazil also had significant production (table).

Top lemon* producing countries (in tonnes)
Country	2010	2011	2014
India	2 629 200	2 108 000	no data
Mexico	1 891 400	2 147 740	2 255 000
Argentina	1 113 380	1 228 660	1 100 000
People's Republic of China	1 058 105	1 313 394N	no data
Brazil	1 020 350	1 126 740	no data
United States	800 137	834 610	806 000
Turkey	787 063	790 211	680 000
Iran	706 800F	560 052F	no data
Spain	578 200F	700 000F	no data
Italy	522 377	483 088	no data
World	13 032 388F	13 861 411A
Without footnote — official data, F = FAO estimation, A =aggregated data (includes official, and estimated data), N = unofficial data; Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organization *Includes both lemons and limes

Nutritional value and phytochemicals

Lemon, raw, without peel

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	121 kJ (29 kcal)
Carbohydrates
Sugars	2.5 g
Dietary fiber	2.8 g
Fat	0.3 g
Protein	1.1 g
Vitamins
Thiamine (B1)	(3%) 0.04 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	(2%) 0.02 mg
Niacin (B3)	(1%) 0.1 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)	(4%) 0.19 mg
Vitamin B6	(6%) 0.08 mg
Folate (B9)	(3%) 11 μg
Choline	(1%) 5.1 mg
Vitamin C	(64%) 53 mg
Minerals
Calcium	(3%) 26 mg
Iron	(5%) 0.6 mg
Magnesium	(2%) 8 mg
Manganese	(1%) 0.03 mg
Phosphorus	(2%) 16 mg
Potassium	(3%) 138 mg
Zinc	(1%) 0.06 mg
Link to USDA Database entry
Units μg = micrograms • mg = milligrams IU = International units
Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, providing 64% of the Daily Value in a 100 g serving (table). Other essential nutrients, however, have insignificant content (table).

Lemons contain numerous phytochemicals, including polyphenols and terpenes. As with other citrus fruits, they have significant concentrations of citric acid (about 47 g/l in juice).

Gallery

• 

  Lemon seedling

• 

  Full sized tree

• 

  Green and yellow lemons in growth

• 

  Variegated pink lemon

See also

• List of lemon dishes and beverages

External links

• Data related to Citrus × limon at Wikispecies