Did you know?

[twirly]

... Citrus fruits as we know them today are descended from an acidic ancestor which grew in southern China 20 million years ago. The seeds of this fruit were borne by ocean currents across the China Sea and the Indian Ocean to East Africa. With man’s help, the Chinese citrus fruit’s offspring crossed the deserts and multiplied in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

[twirly]

.. At the beginning of the 16th century, orange pips were brought to South America by the Spanish seafarer Fransisco Pizarro. But it was not until the 1970s that the Brazilian orange became important as the raw material for juice production on a global scale. Brazil is now the world’s largest producer of frozen, concentrated orange juice. In recent years, the export value of this product has exceeded US$ one billion.

[twirly]

... Oranges have been cultivated in Florida ever since the first pips arrived with the Spaniards over 400 years ago. This means that Florida has amassed a wealth of experience of growing and processing oranges. Florida juice is a well-known product in most countries, and orange-growers are extremely anxious to maintain its reputation. An unexpected frost is the one constant danger which can have catastrophic consequences.

[twirly]

... One of the most important conditions required to grow oranges is a hot and sunny climate. The juice of a ripe orange is solar energy in liquid form. One glass of orange juice contains at least 1,000 hours of sunshine. Perhaps this is why people in countries with little sunshine drink more orange juice than those in sunny climates.