Quince

Fragrant rich quince fruit is a member of rosaceae family of pome-fruits. Native to asia minor, this once popular delicacy has taken backseat in the modern times of the molecular biotechnology world. Quince is rarely eaten raw but used in cooking where just a small wedge would impart the whole recipe with a pleasant fruity aroma. Binomially, quince is the only fruiting tree in the genus: cydonia.

Quinces are medium sized semi-tropical deciduous trees, growing to about 10 to 15 feet in height. Pink-white flowers appear in the spring and early summer, which develop into golden color pear-shaped fruits. The fruit is larger than average apple and bumpy; appear somewhat like large guava, avocado, or as short-necked pear fruit. Its fuzzy surface is smooth as in peaches.a the quince fruit weighs about 250-750 g or more in some varieties. Inside, its flesh is light yellow, gritty and has multiple seeds concentrated at the center as in apples. Raw quince has intense fruity smell and together with its bright yellow color instantly attracts the fruit loveras attention. However, raw fruits, even after ripen, generally astringent and tart.

Quince is low calorie fruit. 100 g fresh raw fruit provides 57 calories. In addition, it composes several vital poly-phenolic antioxidants than apples and pears. The fruit is the storehouse for phyto-nutrients such as dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins.

Quince pulp along with its peel contains good amounts of fiber. Further, its gritty granules in the pulp are composed of astringent compounds known as tannins namely, catechin and epicatechin. They bind to cancer-causing toxins and chemicals in the colon, protecting its mucous membrane from inflammatory bowel disease (ibd), cancers, and diverticulitis. In addition, it helps reduce body weight and blood ldl cholesterol levels.

It has several phenolic compounds such as caffeoylquinic acid, procyanidin-b2, oligomeric procyanidin, polymeric procyanidin etc., and essential oils like furfural, limonene, linalol, vomifoliol, toluene, i-ionone, i plus-minus -terpineol, etc. Together; these compounds give quince its unique fragrance.

Ripe quince fruit has good concentration of vitamin c. 100 g fruit provides 15 mg or 25% of rda of vitamin-c. Fruit rich in this vitamin help remove harmful oxygen-free radicals from the body. Vitamin c helps boost immunity, reduce viral episodes and inflammatory conditions.

The fruit is a good source of minerals such as copper (130 ag or 14% of rda), iron, potassium, and magnesium as well as b-complex vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin and pyridoxine (vitamin b-6).

Although not well documented, quince fruit, like pears, has anti-allergenic and anti-inflammatory properties. The fruit as well its seed's extraction is suggested in the treatment of cystitis, atopic dermatitis, recommended by health practitioners as a safe alternative in the preparation of food products for allergy sufferers.