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According to experts, if you want to buy Medjool dates, there are certain things that you need to consider. You should know high-quality Medjool dates from the low-quality variants. Also, it is important for people to also know how to identify Medjool dates with problems. When it comes to things to consider when buying Medjool dates, there can be several factors.
Important factors to consider if you want to buy Medjool dates
Taste: If you want to buy Medjool dates, taste is the most important factor to consider. This means that if you are buying a Medjool date, it has to be tasty. Medjool dates are known for having a characteristic-rich sweet taste. Also, it should never have any salty taste. Other flavours that the Medjool date should have should be rich sweetness and hints of toffee and caramel.
Texture: Medjool dates should have an excellent texture that is similar to a toffee. Also, Medjool dates should not have any form of sugar crystal – they should neither be hard nor soft. When squeezed, Medjool dates should yield without excess pressure. The level of moisture in the date is between 22% and 26%. The flesh of a Medjool date should appear juicy and shiny.
Size: Medjool dates are usually characterized in terms of their sizes. Available sizes include the S.Jumbo, the Jumbo, and the large sizes. If you want to buy Medjool dates, size is not an important factor that verifies its quality. But, bigger fruits tend to have thicker pulps. Bigger fruits usually appear a lot more appealing and look nicer.
Skin separation: Skin separation is also an important factor to check when buying Medjool dates. This is usually the last and less important factor to look out for. Skin separation of Medjool dates is used to describe the loose skin that is unattached to the fruit and hangs loosely on it. Medjool dates with low skin separation appear nicer and can be costlier. Dates that have high skin separation are usually juicy and moist even when they tend to look dry.
Buying Medjool dates: The defects to watch out for
if you are not yet an expert with Medjool dates, you must understand the common defects of the fruit. Medjool dates have a sweet flavour, they can also last for a long time if they are properly stored. However, this doesn’t mean that the dates will last in good condition forever. They can be susceptible to several defects. These defects are:
Extreme dryness: A dry fruit is a fruit that has a low level of moisture in it. When it comes to Medjool dates, there are different signs of dryness:
• Being unable to open up the fruit with your fingers
• When pressed with the fingers, the fruit does not react
• Very difficult to chew
• Has a thin, rubbery, and fibrous flesh.
Sugar bloom: With sugar bloom, the sugar present in the date becomes crystallized. This property turns the date into a crunchy fruit which some people may enjoy. As a minor defect, sugar bloom shows that the Medjool date had been stored in a warm place for a long time. It is still safe to eat it this way.
Insect damage: Insects can infest Medjool dates as they are still on the tree. In some cases, insect damage can be spotted easily, in other cases, it may not. Insect damages are very common because insecticides are barely used on the Medjool trees.
Bad smell: Medjool dates smell bad when they have spoiled. Naturally, Medjool dates have a mild and delicate fragrance. However, if they seem to have an off-putting and strong odour, then this means that they have gone bad and you will have to dispose of them.
Black mould: Black mould in Medjool dates is also called Aspergillus spp. They attack the Medjool dates that are still attached to the trees. This defect resembles a black powder that people can see on the inside part of the date. Luckily, studies have shown that the present type of Aspergillus mould present in Medjool dates does not produce hazardous toxins. Also, a majority of the cases of black moulds can be detected in the period of sorting out the dates.
Fermentation: Medjool dates are known for their distinct semi-dry properties. What this means is that they have a level of humidity present in them. This can easily cause fruit fermentation. If Medjool dates have excess water content (about 28%+) then just like any fruit, they could ferment easily. These types of dates are usually extremely soft and possess a distinct fermented and foul smell. For more info check out https://joolies.com/ .
