Why Is My Blood Orange Not Red?
Blood oranges are a seasonal treat in many households, with the first ones appearing in grocery stores during the holiday season. These delicious red fruits are one of the delights of winter, bringing a ray of sunny flavor into our lives!
However, it is not uncommon to find a blood orange that is not as red as you might expect.
So, why is your blood orange not red? Blood oranges get their color and deliciously juicy, citrusy flavor due to a pigment called anthocyanin. This pigment develops when the fruits are fully ripe, and they need very specific weather conditions to do this. Early-season blood oranges are more likely to be pale red or even orange in color.
If you’re fascinated by this delicious and unusual citrus fruit, keep reading to find out everything you need to know about blood oranges!
What Are Blood Oranges?
Blood oranges may have a slightly gruesome and gory name, but they are actually one of the most delicious citrus fruits you’ll ever eat!
A member of the orange family, they are slightly smaller than other types of oranges and tend to have thick, pitted skin.
This skin hides the juicy flesh of the blood orange, which has a vibrant red color. However, it is not only the color change that is the difference between a blood orange and an ordinary orange!
Blood oranges have the same intense citrusy taste we come to expect from an orange, but with a hint of raspberry flavor as well.
They are also easier to peel than other oranges and tend to have fewer seeds. The flavor is sweeter and more intense, which is why blood oranges are regarded as a delicacy in some countries.
So, if blood oranges are so fantastic, why don’t we see more of them in the shops? The reason for this is that blood oranges require very specific climate conditions to grow and thrive.
Ordinary oranges are much easier to grow, which is why we can find them in the shops all year round.
Blood oranges start to appear in the shops around December, and are normally available until April.
This is why we tend to associate blood oranges with the festive season, as this is when we get to sample the first ripe fruits of the season!
Most blood oranges are grown in warm temperate climates such as California and Florida in the United States. They also thrive in certain areas of the Mediterranean.
Blood oranges can be eaten in the same way as any other type of orange, but their vibrant color and delicious flavor are best enjoyed fresh.
They look particularly spectacular in fruit salads and as a garnish for desserts and cocktails!
Blood oranges can be juiced, but as they are sweeter than ordinary oranges, the juice should be drunk on the same day before it starts to ferment.
Why Are Blood Oranges Red?
To understand why not all blood oranges are red, first of all, we need to figure out where their red coloring comes from.
Blood oranges contain a pigment called anthocyanin, which is not normally found in other types of oranges.
Under the ideal weather conditions of warm days and cool nights, this pigment turns the flesh and juice of the orange fruit a deep red color.
Anthocyanin is not new to us, as it is responsible for the color of many of our favorite fruits and vegetables. This pigment creates red, purple, and blue hues, and will create a different result according to the base color of the fruit.
Anthocyanin is responsible for the deep red-black color of blackberries, the vibrant red of cherries, and the intense dark blue in blueberries.
It also gives color to eggplant, tomatoes, cranberries, plums, prunes, and many more popular fruits and vegetables.
So, when anthocyanin acts on the flesh of a blood orange, it gives it the intense red color we’re all familiar with.
But not only does it change the color of the fruit, but it also affects the flavor and brings incredible health benefits.
Many people will tell you that blood oranges have a flavor and aroma that reminds them of raspberries. This rich fruitiness is thanks to anthocyanin, which creates a citrus fruit quite unlike any other!
Anthocyanin is also known to be an antioxidant, which can help prevent cellular damage, and it is found in much higher in blood oranges than in normal oranges.
So if you were going to eat one orange a day, blood orange would be the one with the most health-boosting benefits!
Which Varieties Of Orange Are Blood Oranges?
Blood oranges need a very specific climate in which to thrive and bring out their distinctive color.
This can be a tricky balance as they like long, hot summer days but cooler winter nights — they are not frost-tolerant and a sharp cold spell will kill them off.
It is the combination of warm days and cool nights through the fall and winter seasons that allows blood oranges to ripen and brings out their intense, sweet flavor.
The first fruits are normally available in December, and because they tend to be more of a specialty item they are normally sold loose rather than pre-bagged.
You might find it difficult to get blood oranges from larger commercial grocery stores, but a smaller local food supplier may well get some in stock through the winter months.
There are actually many different varieties of blood oranges, but only three are grown for large-scale commercial production:
- Moro. This is the type of blood orange most commonly grown in the US. They ripen earlier than other varieties, but do not store so well. The flesh of a Moro blood orange is a dark red, almost purple color.
- Sanguinello. This is a late-ripening variety of blood orange that is commonly grown in Spain. The flesh of the orange retains its original color, but is streaked with burgundy. These blood oranges are easy to recognize by their mottled orange-red peel.
- Tarocco. This blood orange variety is most likely to be grown in Italy and they are normally available until May. The flesh of the Tarocco blood orange is not as intensely red as other varieties, but it has the sweetest, strongest flavor of them all.
Are All Blood Oranges Red?
All blood oranges have the potential to turn red, but not all will do this! This is because a blood orange only turns red when it is truly ripe and under the right weather conditions.
And blood oranges don’t turn red all at once — a tree may contain hundreds of fruits, and these ripen in stages over a gradual period of time.
The pigment that gives blood oranges their characteristic red color first starts to act along the edges of the peel.
The color change then follows the edges of the segments towards the exterior of the other orange.
Finally, the fleshy parts on the interior of each segment will turn red.
So, depending on the weather conditions and the time when a blood orange is harvested, it may have varying levels of redness.
A truly ripe and perfect blood orange will have flesh that is a dark blood-red color with tinges of dark pink or maroon.
A blood orange that is harvested before it is completely ripe may just have lines or streaks of red. This is very typical of the Spanish Sanguinello blood orange.
And a blood orange harvested at the very start of the season may not have any red pigment at all, and could look just like an ordinary orange!
Why Is My Blood Orange Not Red?
It can be a huge disappointment to peel a large, juicy blood orange, only to find that it isn’t red!
So why might your blood orange not be red, and can you still eat it?
The intensity of the red coloring of a blood orange depends on several factors — this includes the time when it was harvested, the weather conditions, and the variety of blood oranges.
Low overnight temperatures are vital to enable a blood orange to develop its red color. If the fall and winter seasons are milder than normal, the color change could fail to occur.
Blood oranges harvested earlier in the season tend to have a less dramatic color change, and you may come across the occasional one that is still orange.
Whatever the reason, a blood orange that is not red is still a blood orange, and it should still taste great!
If you want to maximize your chances of truly red blood orange, avoid buying them early in the season, and look for ones that feel heavy and juicy.
Unfortunately, the color of the skin is no indication of how red a blood orange will be — one with orange skin can be bright red inside, and vice versa!
Can You Ripen Blood Oranges At Home?
Oranges are very unusual, as they stop ripening as soon as they are picked from the tree. This makes them ideal for long-term storage, and is why many early sea-faring countries planted hundreds of orange trees in days gone by!
However, this does mean that you cannot do anything to further ripen a blood orange once it has been harvested.
These oranges are harvested when they are ripe, but the weather conditions may mean that they have not developed the intense red color we are familiar with.
But if you come across a batch of blood oranges that are not red, all is not lost! They will still taste amazing and will make one of the best freshly-pressed orange juices you have ever tried.
