Medjool

Date cultivar
Mejhoul
GenusPhoenix
SpeciesPhoenix dactylifera
OriginTafilalt, Morocco

The Medjool date (Arabic: تمر المجهول - tamar al-majhūl. Tamar means 'date' and majhūl means 'unknown', from جَهِلَ jahila, 'to not know')[1][2] also known as Medjoul, Mejhoul or Majhool, is a large, sweet cultivated variety of date (Phoenix dactylifera). It is an important commercial variety constituting some 25% of worldwide trade in dates.

Description

A Medjool date (left) compared to a Khadrawi date

The Medjool trunk is medium in size, leaves are short with average curvature and of medium width, and the number of spines on each leaf ranges between 30 and 38. Fruit size varies from small to large; shape is mostly oval, ranging between orange and yellow, topped with fine reddish-to-brown stripes that develop during the khalal stage. The fruit becomes reddish brown in color when fully mature and has a waxy coat and a light skin; the shrunken mesocarp is wrinkled and rough and has a flesh thickness of 0.5–0.7 cm, a soft texture, little fiber, and a delicious taste; and the palm is early bearing. The palm produces 70–90 kg per tree per year.[3][4][5]

Medjool is a medium-to-late ripening variety, its harvesting season is around mid-September and the end of October, depending on the climatic conditions. Although classified as a soft date, Mejhoul is firmer than other varieties like Barhee and Khadrawy. Very little damage from rain. Fruit quality, however, is very sensitive to temperature and humidity. Both low and high extremes are not suitable for achieving high quality fruits. It is among the date varieties most responsive to fruit thinning, heavy thinning is required to obtain a high value commercial fruit. Easily produces 20 to 25 offshoots per tree. Distinguishing characteristics are its medium-size trunk, short to medium leaves which are organised with little curvature. Has a high fruit quality (large size and attractive). It outshines all other date varieties for fruit quality and size. It is of high commercial value and is considered the premium date for export markets, hence being known as the "Rolls-Royce of dates".[6] and the "Pearl of dates"[7]

Landrace

The Medjool cultivar originates from the Tafilalt region of Morocco, where it is still grown.[8] Outside Morocco, it is grown in the United States,[9] Israel,[10] Palestine,[11] Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Jordan. The variety is planted both for its fruit and for landscaping.[12][13]

The medjool is a distinct landrace, described as producing "large soft fruit, with orange-yellowish flesh, and a mildly rich and pleasing flavor".[14] Being large, soft, and with a "caramel, honey" flavor, the variety has been called "the king of dates".[15]

Biochemistry

Medjool dates are high in oxalates (18–233 mg/100 g dry weight).[16]

Out of the over 3000 cultivated varieties, only two contain the disaccharide sugar sucrose: Deglet Nour and Medjool. All the rest contain the monosaccharides glucose and fructose, known as invert sugar,[17] as they are the two components of sucrose. Sucrose tastes sweeter than glucose but less sweet than fructose.[18]

Trade

In 2013, Israel held more than 60 percent of the global mejhoul market share.[19] In 2024, Medjool constitutes 25% of the world export market for dates.[17] Those supplied to France, the largest European importer of dates, are predominantly from Algeria and Tunisia. Retail brands in both France and Italy often label the cultivar, usually Medjool or Deglet Nour, on the packet.[17] Especially large Medjool dates are sold as a luxury product, for example in the Netherlands. A UK social enterprise, Zaytoun, sells Medjool dates from Palestine.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ Zaid, Abdelouahhab, ed. (2002). Date Palm Cultivation. Vol. 156. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251048634. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  2. ^ "A Brief History on the Origin of Medjool Dates". Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  3. ^ Abu-Qaoud, 2015 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283474012_Date_Palm_Status_and_Perspective_in_Palestine
  4. ^ Zaid, Abdelouahhab, ed. (2002). Date Palm Cultivation. Vol. 156. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ISBN 9789251048634. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  5. ^ "A Brief History on the Origin of Medjool Dates". Archived from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  6. ^ https://www.scribd.com/document/643789855/2cf7fa6f0fcd5a49370ccc3027fb0bf3-pdf
  7. ^ https://www.medjoolstar.com/en/the-mejhoul-date
  8. ^ Onstad, D. (2004). Whole foods companion: a guide for adventurous cooks, curious shoppers, and lovers of natural foods. A Politics of the Living Book Series. Chelsea Green Publishers. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-931498-68-5. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  9. ^ Hodel, D.R.; Johnson, D.V. (2007). Imported and American Varieties of Dates (Phoenix dactylifera) in the United States. Publication (University of California (System). Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources)). University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-879906-78-5. Archived from the original on April 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  10. ^ Al-Khayri, Jameel M.; Jain, S. Mohan; Johnson, Dennis Victor, eds. (2015). Date palm genetic resources and utilization. Volume 2, Asia and Europe. Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands. pp. 423–440. ISBN 978-94-017-9707-8. OCLC 905543989.
  11. ^ Shaher M. El-Ashry, Basem Natsheh, and Mohamed S. Jaradat (2015). "Date Palm Status and Perspective in Palestine". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2023-05-30.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Russo, Susan (17 October 2007). "Medjool: A Date to Remember". NPR. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  13. ^ "Medjool Date Palm". Archived from the original on 18 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  14. ^ Elhoumaizi, Mohammed Aziz; et al. (2006). "Confirmation of 'Medjool' Date as a Landrace Variety through Genetic Analysis of 'Medjool' Accessions in Morocco" (PDF). Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 131 (3): 403–407. doi:10.21273/JASHS.131.3.403. S2CID 85976366. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-12-22. Retrieved 2018-01-25.
  15. ^ "Medjool Dates". The Medjool Date Co. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. ^ Al-Zahrani, Khaled S.; Faqeeh, Akram A.; Abdulghani, Zuhair R.; Thomas, Selvin P. (2022). "A review on the physicochemical properties and utilization of date seeds in value-added engineering products". Polymer Bulletin. 79 (12). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 10433–10490. doi:10.1007/s00289-021-04048-3. ISSN 0170-0839. S2CID 245883533. This review cites this research.Alahyane, A.; Harrak, H.; Elateri, I; Ayour, J.; Ait-Oubahou, A.; Benichou, M.; et al. (2021). "Evaluation of some nutritional quality criteria of seventeen Moroccan dates varieties and clones, fruits of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)". Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology. 82: e236471. doi:10.1590/1519-6984.236471. PMID 34105667.
  17. ^ a b c d "The European market potential for dates". European Union. 30 January 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  18. ^ Helstad, Scott (2019). "Corn Sweeteners". Corn. Elsevier. p. 551–591. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-811971-6.00020-6. ISBN 978-0-12-811971-6.
  19. ^ "Medjool Dates From Israel Wastewater Proving Favorite of Foodies". Bloomberg. 20 November 2013. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.

External links

  • Media related to Medjool dates at Wikimedia Commons
  • v
  • t
  • e
Category