Food preparation and processing

Traditionally fruits are mainly eaten raw. They should be washed thoroughly
before they are eaten. This ensures that soil, micro-organisms, and
traces of sprays are removed. It is also a good idea to remove the outer skin
from the stem, and the blossom ends, because they are hard to clean
.
Some fruits are used to make puddings for special occasions and when
there is an over-abundant supply. In the Cook Islands, the traditional
preparation and preservation of certain fruits such as bananas are still carried
out, but only on a small scale.
When fruits are in season and there is a surplus, they can be preserved in
sugar and acid (vinegar, lime juice). Although they lose some vitamins,
they add flavour to meals and can last for one or two years if preserved
properly. Green pawpaw (papaya) or lime made into pickles are examples
of this type of preservation. Some fruits, such as pineapple, mangoes,
pawpaw and ripe bananas, can be made into chutneys by boiling them
with vinegar, sugar and spices.
Modern methods of preservation include canning and bottling of fruit,
vacuum-sealing and use of refrigerators and freezers ,
. Small-scale processing of fruits into jams, preserves and glaze is
being developed. Certain fruits, when in season, can be dried using solar
energy or after being treated with chemicals such as sulphur dioxide.
Bananas, mangoes, pawpaws and pineapples can be dried successfully.
Mango and citrus skins can also be made into sweets and candied peels.
Fruits are also used for the production of juice. Citrus fruits, as well as
their leaves, are used to make delicious and refreshing drinks. Recipes for
these are widely available .
Fruit production for export is a commercial activity that some Island governments
in the Pacific are developing. Fruits are exported either fresh or
made into juice. Despite a decline in fruit production
in the last 20 years in the Pacific, fruit juice is still produced in Fiji Islands,
New Caledonia and other islands, mainly for local consumption.

Certain fruits are very useful in food preparation because of their special
properties. For example, papain, an enzyme from pawpaw, is used to tenderise
meat , and citric acid from the juice of citrus fruits
such as lemons and oranges is used for preserving fruits and vegetables.
Acid from citrus juice is used in food processing and basic cooking).
Cooking changes fruit in a number of ways. It loses its crispness and
becomes limp due to loss of water from the plant cells; it becomes more
translucent . The fruit becomes tender as its structure is
broken down by heat.
Dried fruit becomes harder, however, due to the removal of water during
the drying process. Dried fruit may be softened by soaking in water to
hydrate it for use in recipes