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Phytochemicals in Citrus
Applications in Functional Foods
Series Editor
John Shi, Ph.D.
Guelph Food Research Center, Canada
Edited by
Xingqian Ye
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
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used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
v
vi Contents
Chapter 11 Dietary Fiber from Citrus and Its Antioxidant Activity.................... 347
Ma. Ángeles Valdivia-López
Index....................................................................................................................... 475
Series Preface
In recent years, consumers have paid more attention to their health led by the increas-
ing belief that the food they eat contributes directly to it. The consumption of func-
tional foods has emerged as a major consumer-driven trend, playing an outstanding
role in the prevention of nutrition-related diseases and improving the physical and
mental well-being of consumers. This trend is expected to continue, which increases
the need for scientific information concerning all aspects of functional foods. The
aim of the “Functional Foods and Nutraceutical” series is to provide a comprehen-
sive source of up-to-date information on the latest developments in this field. Many
bioactive components present in food, from both plant and animal sources, have
been shown to be effective in disease prevention and health promotion. The series
covers relevant aspects of chemistry, biochemistry, epidemiology, nutrigenomics and
proteomics, engineering, formulation, and processing technologies as they relate to
nutraceuticals, functional foods, and dietary supplements, as well as new product
developments and research progress.
Extensive studies have confirmed that diets rich in fruits and vegetables are
strongly associated with numerous health benefits and a lower risk of disease. Citrus
fruits, one of the most popular fruits in world market today, have long been valued
as part of a nutritious and tasty diet. Citrus fruits, ranging from sweet to sour in
taste, include oranges, tangerines, grapefruits, limes, and lemons. Well-known for
their vitamin C content, these fruits also provide energy, fiber, folate, and potas-
sium. In addition, they are a good source of disease-fighting antioxidants such as
flavonoids. The different flavors of citrus are among the preferred in the world, and
it is increasingly evident that citrus fruits not only taste good, but are good for our
health too. It is well established that citrus fruits and products are a rich source of
vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber (nonstarch polysaccharides) that are essen-
tial for normal growth, development, and overall nutritional well-being. Moreover,
there is an increasing awareness that some biologically active, non-nutrient com-
pounds found in citrus and other plants (phytochemicals) can also help reduce the
risk of many chronic diseases. For instance, citrus has been shown to help keep
your heart healthy, specifically oranges, which have been shown to reduce the risk
of heart disease and arrhythmias.
The “Functional Foods and Nutraceutical” series is appropriate for academic use,
aimed at providing a solid scientific reference for faculties and students in the fields
of food science and technology, nutritional science, and pharmaceutical science.
This series is also meant as a reference for food science professionals in either gov-
ernment or industry pursuing functional food research, food ingredient development,
vii
viii Series Preface
or research and development for food companies. Herein, readers will obtain a cur-
rent and sound scientific fact base of information about functional food products and
their latest developments. It is our hope that the scientific community will appreciate
our endeavor in preparing this series and the impact it will have on furthering the
knowledge of functional foods and nutraceuticals.
ix
x Preface
We thank all of the contributing authors for their cooperation in preparing this book,
which we hope will serve as an excellent reference for those interested in citrus fruits, as
health-promoting foods, and the science and technology of their bioactive components.
xi
http://taylorandfrancis.com
Editor
Xingqian Ye, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition,
and the deputy dean of the College of Biosystems and Food Science at Zhejiang
University in China. Prof. Ye earned a PhD degree in agriculture products storage
and processing from Zhejiang Agricultural University. He has also conducted col-
laborative research in Bulgaria, Canada, the United States, and Greece. His research
focuses on fruit and vegetable processing technology, nutraceuticals, and functional
foods from fruits and vegetables. Recently, he has studied the processing and com-
prehensive utilization of Chinese bayberry, mandarin, and other local fruits and
vegetables, especially the identification and separation of their phytochemicals.
Prof. Ye has also worked on the development of mixing fruit, vegetables, nuts, and
cereals to enhance their antioxidant capacity after processing. He has also studied
the stability of flavonoids after ultrasonic treatment.
Dr. Ye has published more than 200 research papers in refereed scientific journals,
along with 10 book chapters and has been invited to a number of presentations. He
holds 35 Chinese patents and has edited Chinese Dates: A Traditional Functional
Food (CRC Press, 2016), as well as 4 other books and a textbook on fruit and veg-
etable processing in Chinese (from the second edition to fourth edition). He has
received several scholarly awards including the second place Award (three times)
for Science and Technology from the Zhejiang Provincial Government. Prof. Ye was
the guest editor of LWT—Food Science and Technology for the special issue on
Food Innovation in China in 2014. He is an associate editor of Food Quality and
Safety (Oxford University Press) and editorial board member of the Journal of Food
Engineering, the Journal of Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology, and
four other Chinese journals.
xiii
http://taylorandfrancis.com
Contributors
Elizabeth A. Baldwin Licinio Díaz
USDA–ARS Plant Physiology Department
Ft. Pierce, Florida University of Murcia
Murcia, Spain
Maria Susai Boobalan
Department of Chemistry Tian Ding
College of Natural and Computational College of Biosystems and Food Science
Sciences Zhejiang University
Haramaya University Zhejiang, China
Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Yoram Eyal
Nir Carmi Institute of Postharvest and Food
Institute of Plant Sciences Sciences
Agricultural Research Organization Agricultural Research Organization
Bet Dagan, Israel Bet Dagan, Israel
xv
xvi Contributors
Yaqin Ma Meenakshisundaram
Citrus Research Institute Selvamuthukumaran
Southwest University School of Food Science and Postharvest
Chongqing, China Technology
Haramaya University
Francisco Marin Dire Dawa, Ethiopia
Department of Production and
Characterization of New Foods
University of Madrid
Madrid, Spain
Contributors xvii
CONTENTS
1.1 Citrus Fruits and Their Biological Structure..................................................... 2
1.1.1 The External Form of Citrus Fruits....................................................... 2
1.1.2 Size and Shape....................................................................................... 3
1.1.3 The Internal Structure of Citrus Fruits..................................................3
1.1.3.1 Peel.......................................................................................... 4
1.1.3.2 Epicarp....................................................................................4
1.1.3.3 Mesocarp................................................................................4
1.1.3.4 Oil Sacs...................................................................................4
1.1.3.5 Flevedo.................................................................................... 4
1.1.3.6 Citrus Segment........................................................................ 5
1.1.3.7 Citrus Seeds............................................................................ 6
1.1.3.8 Central Core or Pith................................................................6
1.2 Citrus Fruit Production......................................................................................6
1.3 Main Citrus Species and Production............................................................... 10
1.3.1 Mandarins............................................................................................ 10
1.3.2 Mandarins and Tangerines.................................................................. 11
1.3.3 Oranges................................................................................................ 12
1.3.4 Grapefruits........................................................................................... 14
1.3.5 Lemons and Limes.............................................................................. 14
1.4 Some Bioactive Components in Citrus Fruits.................................................. 15
1.4.1 Flavonoid Compounds......................................................................... 16
1.4.1.1 Classification and Structural Characteristics of Citrus
Flavonoids............................................................................. 16
1.4.1.2 Flavanones............................................................................ 18
1.4.1.3 Polymethoxylated Flavonoids...............................................20
1
2 Phytochemicals in Citrus
Pedicel
Side
Equator
Top part
Central core
Flavedo Juice vesicles
Albedo
Oil sacs
Seed
Segment
Segment wall
segments (segment membrane, juice vesicles or sac and seed), and the central core or
pith (vascular bundle and parenchyma) (Figure 1.2) (Ye and Liu 2005; Kimball 1999).
1.1.3.1 Peel
Citrus peel can be divided into two layers, the epicarp (flavedo and albedo) and endocarp.
1.1.3.2 Epicarp
The epicarp is actually epidermis consisting of a wax plate of upper epicuticular
wax, cuticle, and polygonal epidermic cells, and an outer wall that is horny. The
exterior of epidermal cells is covered with a layer of wax that has a protective effect.
The epicarp also has stomata consisting of a pair of guard cells that serves as one of
the channels of fruit respiration. Generally, a citrus fruit has little or no porosity in the
base, since the waxy layer is thicker at this point, and the stomata of citrus are often
filled at maturity.
1.1.3.3 Mesocarp
The mesocarp includes two layers, the albedo and flavedo. The albedo contains oil
sacs and pigments, while the flavedo consists of vascular tissue. Albedo cells are
green, yellow, or orange, with oil sacs. The lower part of the epidermal layer consists
of layers of small elongated cells, followed by layers of larger suborbicular cells,
distributed before oil sacs, and finally a mix with albedo on top of the oil sacs. These
cells are rich in plastids. When the fruit is ripe, when the weather turns cold, chloro-
plasts turn into chromoplasts. This causes the fruits to turn yellow or orange, and it
can also be achieved with artificial de-greening treatments. As for the late ripening
fruit, if the fruit were left on trees until the next spring, chromoplasts would turn into
chloroplasts due to climate warming. Since mature citrus flavedo is rich in chromo-
plasts, the pigments therein are carotenoids and flavonoids, which are all beneficial
to human health. In recent years, many papers have been published focused on the
extraction of pigments from albedo in order to enhance or improve the color quality
of citrus juice and other foods and for nutraceuticals.
1.1.3.4 Oil Sacs
Oil sacs, also called oil glands, consist of a cavity containing several aromatic oils,
surrounded by a circle of cellular degradation. The outermost skin layer is the paren-
chyma of the albedo. These surrounding cells are the source of the oil, consisting
of thin walls that are easily broken when mature. In a citrus fruit, the fruit stem has
more oil glands than the top part, and the number of oil glands and the properties of
the oils therein vary greatly between different Citrus species. Manual extraction of
essential oils is efficient with lemon, orange, lime, tangerines, and others, but most
mandarin oil is a low quality essential oil.
1.1.3.5 Flevedo
The flevedo is composed of a layer of loose, tubular cells with many branches. These
cells are interwoven into a continuous network structure with large gaps. Cytoderm
is rich in pectin, and an obvious thickening effect can be observed under the electron
microscope since it is the site that has the highest pectin content within the citrus
Citrus Fruits, Varieties, Chemical Properties, and Products in Processing Industry 5
fruits. Hence, in general the raw material of artificial citrus pectin is extracted from
the flavedo. The flavedo also contains flavonoids, some of which impart a bitter taste.
Early on, people found that in grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and mandarin, flavonoid
content in flavedo was higher than in juice, segment membrane, or albedo. The fla-
vedo is also the main location of another bitter taste and health factor, limonoids.
The thickness of flavedo varies in different Citrus species. Pomelos and grapefruits
have the thickest, followed by oranges, natsumikans, and lemons, while mandarins
and tangerines have the thinnest. In fruit juice production, the thickness of the fla-
vedo is a major determinant of the appropriate juicer arrangement. If pressing is
excessive, more flavedo is pressed into juice, making juice bitter with a content of fla-
vonoids and limonoids substances that is too high. This is one of the causes of poor
quality fruit juice by the deep-pressed method. When producing peeled mandarin
segments in syrup production, the thickness of the flavedo is directly related to the
ease of peeling. As for orange cake and fruit candy production, it is more related to
the thickness and tenderness of the flavedo.
1.1.3.6 Citrus Segment
The interior part of the flavedo is the segment, which is thought to have developed
from the endocarp. Generally, mandarin and tangerine have about 10 segments,
kumquat has 3–6, while polemo has 13–25 and lemon has 7–10. The citrus segment
is composed of a membrane, vesicle (sac), and seeds. The seeds of satsuma, a man-
darin, degenerate because pollination does not occur. Each segment in the fruits is
arranged in a ring with a central core or pith.
The orange vessels are a layer of reticulated vascular tissue that surround the
segment and contain flavonoid glycosides, pectin, cellulose, and semicellulose. They
may be used as a drug, but also as the material for pectin extraction. Their degree of
adhesion to the segment affects the ease of peeling and processing.
There is a layer of waxy cuticle on the segment membrane consisting of six to
eight layers with a relatively loose, full layer of two to three mesophyll cells between
segments. The outmost layer is a mixture of mesophyll cells and flavedo. The struc-
tural components of segment membranes are very closely related with the separa-
tion of citrus segments. Generally, mandarins or tangerines are easier to peel and
Nucleus
Mitochondria
Vacuole containing juice
Juice cells
in vesicle Other organelle
Cell membrane
FIGURE 1.3 Citrus juice cell and vesicle (sac) cited. (From Kimball, D. A., Citrus
Processing—A Complete Guide, 2nd ed., Aspen Publishers, Gaithersburg, MD, 1999.)
6 Phytochemicals in Citrus
separate segments, and grapefruits are more difficult. Segment membranes also
contains bitter substances, and one must be careful not to put too much pressure on
the segment membrane during processing, especially in grapefruit, since they are
thought to contain the highest content of limonin.
The sac is also called the juice vesicle (Figure 1.3). It is the edible part of citrus fruit
located on the interior of the segment, and it is derived from independent meristems
that form the sac and sac stem. The sac and sac stem surface contain wax (Kimball
1999). This is a major factor in maintaining the integrity of canned orange segments
in syrup; however, in the manufacture of sac juice or drink, this can obstruct the sepa-
ration of sac into a single. The sac surface also contains some pectin, and therefore
treatment with calcium salt increases its hardness. The shape of the sac is related to
the appearance of processed products, and canned mandarin segments in light syrup
require slender sacs and short stems, firmly bonded with each other. The interior of
sacs consists of thin-walled cells, characterized by large vacuoles, with lipid drop-
lets, mitochondria, leucosomes and chromoplasts. These thin-walled cells are easily
broken, thereby creating juice. Juice is mainly vacuolar sap, containing a wealth of
nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals (Tisserat et al. 1990).
1.1.3.7 Citrus Seeds
Citrus seeds are often located in the interior of segments, developed from a fertilized
ovule, but a fertilized ovule can also form seedless fruit. Citrus seeds contain a vari-
ety of fat, protein, and bitter substances that have a great impact on the processing
and production of segments. Usually, seedless is preferred for fresh consumption.
Seeds are also undesirable during juice processing, and pressure or fine filtering of
crushed seed should be avoided; otherwise, it would easily make the juice bitter. On
the other hand, from a comprehensive point of view, we can use seed oils and bitter
substances in seeds for industrial and agricultural production services.
International trade year volume was more than $65 billion, following wheat ($160 mil-
lion) and maize ($100 billion), and a further increase in production and consumption
is expected (FAO: http://www.fao.org/statistics/en/). Citrus production and export are
important sources of income in many countries, while citrus are also a cheap source of
vitamins, which is beneficial to nutrition, health, and food safety. With transportation
and packaging costs reduced and the quality improved, the growth of citrus processing
products is very fast, and is showing a strong momentum of development (Liu 2012).
TABLE 1.1
Fresh Citrus Fruit, Production, Supply, and Distribution in Selected
Countries (1000 Metric Tons)
Sweet Orange 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 July 2016
Fresh production 53,830 49,871 52,144 48,772 45,763
Fresh domestic 30,837 28,948 30,693 28,388 28,191
consumption
Processing 22,729 20,662 20,907 20,123 17,293
Export 3,932 3,889 4,002 4,051 4,309
Import 3,668 3,628 3,458 3,790 4,030
Tangerines/Mandarins
Fresh production 23,906 24,679 26,695 28,557 28,963
Fresh domestic 22,322 23,247 25,068 26,826 27,285
consumption
Processing 1,411 1,384 1,425 1,571 1,491
Export 2,389 2,165 2,483 2,337 2,322
Import 2,216 2,117 2,281 2,177 2,135
Grapefruit
Fresh production 5,544 5,842 6,067 6,057 6,277
Fresh domestic 4,602 4,818 5,087 5,260 5,540
consumption
Processing 873 954 907 732 674
Export 800 813 825 736 758
Import 731 743 752 671 695
Lemon/Lime
Fresh production 6,524 6,512 6,216 7,301 7,001
Fresh domestic 4,478 4,582 4,605 4,849 4,748
consumption
Processing 1,854 1,904 1,543 2,328 2,097
Export 1,689 1,552 1,590 1,725 1,791
Import 1,497 1,526 1,522 1,601 1,635
TABLE 1.2
Potential Yield of Products from Citrus Fruits
Products Orange/% Grapefruit/% Satsuma Mandarin/%
Juice 48% 48% 52%
Segment in light syrup 65%–70%
Dry peel
Dry pulp w/o molasses, 10% H2O 9.80 10.62
Dry pulp, w/o molasses 7.11 7.25
Molasses, 72 0Brix 3.43 3.89
Ethanol from molasses (L, 100%) 0.49 –
Cold pressed oil and limonene 0.74 0.26 0.76
Pulp wash solids 0.49–0.74 0.26–0.52
Frozen pulp 4.9 7.77
Oil-phase essence 0.0123 0.0077
Aqueous essence at 15% alcohol 0.049 0.052
Pectin (150 grade) 3.18 2.59 2.00
Seed oil 0.05 0.23
Hesperidin 0.49 – 0.45
Naringin – 0.52
Limonoid 0.30 0.30
According to USDA statistics, the main producing countries in the world, during
the years 2015 and 2016, had a total citrus production of 88 million tons, among
which, oranges have 45.76 million tons, mandarins and tangerines have 28.96 mil-
lion tons, grapefruits and pomelos have 6. 27 million tons, and lemons and limes
have 7.00 million tons (Table 1.1). Analysis of nearly 5 years of production data has
indicated that orange products are on the decline, but that mandarins or tangerines
have increased the most, and that grapefruits, pomelos, lemons, and limes have had
a slight rise (Table 1.2).
The leading producers of citrus are China, Brazil, the United States, Mexico,
Turkey, Egypt, and so on. China has the largest production. In July 2016, it reached
31.3 million tons, accounting for 35.57% of the world’s output; followed by Brazil
with a production of 14.35 million tons, accounting for 16.31% of the world’s output
(Table 1.3).
Among Citrus species produced worldwide, the orange accounts for 52%, man-
darin and tangerine for 33%, and lemon and pomelo for about 7% of total produc-
tion. In terms of production of the total output of citrus, nearly 60% is for the fresh
market consumption and about 40% is used for processing. But in Brazil, recent
data show that the most abundant use is for processing of orange juice. Mandarins
and tangerines are mostly used for fresh food, the main production country being
China. In terms of raw materials of citrus fruit production, 80% are oranges, 8%
are grapefruits, and 5% are lemons, mandarins, and tangerines (Table 1.4).
Citrus Fruits, Varieties, Chemical Properties, and Products in Processing Industry 9
TABLE 1.3
Fresh Citrus Production in Selected Countries (1000 Metric Tons)
Tangerines/ Lemons/
Oranges Mandarins Grapefruits Limes Total %
Brazil 14,350 14,350 16.31%
China 7,000 20,000 4,300 31,300 35.57%
European Union 6,055 3,035 97 1,260 10,447 11.87%
United States 5,371 876 735 847 7,829 8.90%
Mexico 3,535 430 2,270 6,235 7.08%
Egypt 2,750 2,750 3.12%
Turkey 1,700 1,040 200 670 3,610 4.10%
South Africa 1,560 330 345 2,235 2.54%
Morocco 925 1,065 1,990 2.26%
Argentina 800 350 1500 2,650 3.01%
Vietnam 520 520 0.59%
Australia 455 455 0.52%
Costa Rica 315 315 0.36%
Guatemala 155 155 0.18%
Israel 105 240 185 60 590 0.67%
Japan 1,115 1,115 1.27%
South Korea 640 640 0.73%
Thailand 375 375 0.43%
Other 167 227 0 49 443 0.50%
Total 45,763 28,963 6,277 7,001 88,004 100.00%
52.00% 32.91% 7.13% 7.96% 100%
TABLE 1.4
Citrus Production and Processing (1000 Metric Tons, %)
2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015 July 2016
Orange Fresh production 53,830 49,871 52,144 48,772 45,763
Processing 22,729 20,662 20,907 20,123 17,293
% of processing 42.22 41.43 40.09 41.26 37.79
Lemon and lime Fresh production 6,524 6,512 6,216 7,301 7,001
Processing 1,854 1,904 1,543 2,328 2,097
% of processing 28.42 29.24 24.82 31.89 29.95
1.3.1 Mandarins
Macroacrumen mandarins: Satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu Marc); Ougan (C. sua-
vissima Hort. ex Tanaka); Jiaogan (C. tankan Hort.) (Tankan); King mandarin (C.
nobilis Loureiro); Mediterranean mandarin (C. deliciosu Tenore).
Microacrumen tangerines: Ponkan (C. reticulata Blanco); Manju (C. tardiferax
Hort. ex Tanaka); Hongju (red tangerine) (C. tangerina Hort. ex Tanaka); Citrus
paradisi Macfadyen—Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macfadyen) (white or common,
blood or pink, acidless); Pomelo [Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck or Citrus maxima
(Burm.) Merill] (white or common, blood or pink, acidless).
Dr. Mabberley, president of the IATP since 2005, deserves a special mention.
He has presented the most interesting new views of citrus and the relationships
between “the true citrus types.” In his paper on native Australian citrus types,
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then we could hardly believe him, for had we not conversed with the
postmaster—a uniformed and decorated individual, who spoke
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against the grain, asked to breakfast; a fifteen-rouble note was put
under his plate, and an hour afterwards horses were actually being
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In we got, having a portmanteau, a hat-box, a cocked-hat case, a
sword-case, umbrellas, rugs, pillows (these last a very needful thing
in Russia; travellers even by rail carry them, and they are almost a
necessity) in the carriage with us; the apron was buttoned down, the
curtain triced up, and, with a wrench and a creak, off we went at a
hard gallop. It is not a comfortable mode of travelling, far less a
luxurious one; but one does get over the ground; one is dry; and
certainly, as compared with the telega, one’s sufferings are less
intense.
We occasionally left the tarantass to take tea at a post-house,
where, ever for lack of fresh horses, we had to feed and rest our old
ones. Our Kutais informant was right; nothing to be got but the
samovar (or Russian urn) full of boiling water; no furniture, save two
wooden bedsteads, with a slanting board at the head; the tariff for
horses, and the “icon” (or religious picture) in the corner. Still, there
was freedom from noise and movement, which was a great thing.
The horses seemed to be fed on nothing in particular; they were
turned out in the mud to graze, and were given branches of trees,
which they gnawed as a bonne bouche, but I saw no grain given; but
these horses went, and they were lashed and howled at; in fact, the
driving seemed very hard work indeed. We travel day and night, and
never halt but to change horses. After seventy-two hours, we at
length reached Tiflis.
I didn’t see much of the road; in most places it was mud, and in
many it seemed dangerous. Often our tarantass was repaired with
nails and ropes, but we arrived unbroken at the Hôtel du Kaukase of
M. Arsène Barberon.
This man kept a really comfortable house, and as it was
suggested to us that this was the last civilised place, we were only
too glad to make the most of it. We were given sheets to our beds as
a favour and as a luxury; and we got a good dinner, with some
“Lecoq” English stout, very good and strong. One never hears the
name in England, and whether really English or not I don’t know, but
it is very double, and much esteemed by the Russians.
Our bedrooms unfortunately abutted on the billiard-room; and as
the Russian officers, by whom the hotel was frequented, seemed to
be very loth to stop play, it was difficult to sleep till, about 4 a.m.,
even these festive gentlemen retired.
When I came down, I found that the Colonel, an old traveller, had
preceded me, and was engaged upon a pile of official letters and
telegrams.
“I shall be unfortunately detained here some days.”
I was overcome by a deep sense of gratitude that words cannot
express; for I really was so tired and bruised that I felt as if I had
been pummelled all over; in fact, that I should have been glad to be
taken to pieces and put away for a time.
Now this perhaps will be looked on as affectation, but it is not so;
as one gets used to the various modes of travelling, one ceases to
have any grievance, and to feel fatigue, looking on the whole matter
as in the day’s work; but the first time, it’s all very well, but we none
of us like it in our hearts. Of course we called it glorious, and so it
was, in the sense that it was a change.
But who would care to travel from, say, London to York in an old-
fashioned bathing-machine, with a companion of greater age and
social position than your own, pride preventing one’s grumbling, and
going at a hard gallop over the worst of roads, and a good deal of
loose and angular luggage with you, day and night?
My chief next day was waited on by a young man of
prepossessing appearance, in a stylish uniform, the embroidered
shoulder-straps of which were decorated by lightning-flashes. I was
somewhat surprised to hear that this was a signalling-clerk of the
Russian department.
In Russia every officer, however small, has his uniform, which is
cheap, and stylish wear. I, being very young, perhaps felt a little
jealous; but the Colonel assured me that, as uniform was always
typical, mine would probably have silver leeches running up the red
stripe of my trousers, and a gilt mustard-plaister in miniature on the
collar. This contented me, and reconciled me to my position as “a
plain-clothes officer.” The chief of the telegraph, too, called, and we
called on him; many cigarettes were smoked, and much very hot tea
in tumblers drunk.
We went also to see the Persian consul, who was very civil, and
apparently a very intelligent man; he gave us coffee in the Persian
manner. Small silver filagree cup-holders, the size of egg-cups, were
handed round on a tray; and placed in each was a smaller vessel of
china, holding about a liqueur-glassful of strong sweet black coffee,
flavoured with cloves. It was not bad.
When the cups were emptied two servants advanced, one bearing
the tray, the other taking with both hands the empty coffee-cups and
holders, and placing them upon the tray.
Then came the water-pipe or kalian; three of these were brought
in. My first inhalation provided me with a mouthful of peculiarly filthy-
tasting water (I learnt afterwards that the water from the kalian is
commonly used in Persia as an emetic); having, with some difficulty,
got rid of this, I commenced to smoke, and to do as I had seen our
host do, eject huge clouds from my nostrils. But I perceived that the
other kalians were gone; I asked the Colonel if there were any
etiquette as to sending the pipe away. He said—
“Oh, no; our host is an old friend. Smoke as long as it gives you
pleasure.”
The consul asked me how I liked the Persian pipe. I eagerly
replied that I had never smoked anything so mild and so delicious.
He was delighted, but seemed surprised at my calling it mild. The
old gentleman spoke French, and said, “Du tout—très-fort.”
And so I found it, for I began to feel giddy. It appears that the
tobacco used was particularly choice and strong, and that, as a rule,
of such tobacco only a few whiffs are ever taken. I could smoke no
more, and collapsed, for the next five minutes having the awful
sensations of the youth who smokes his first “real foreigner.” But this
feeling passed away as quickly as it came, and I was soon myself.
Another pipe was brought, and then tea, à la Russe, with lemon.
Tea à la Persane consists of a very small cup, holding some two
ounces; in this lump-sugar is placed, in big lumps, and if much
honour is wished to be shown to the guest, when the cup is full the
sugar should project from the centre of the liquid in an island!
The tea used is generally scented Pekoe among the rich, and
made very weak. It is also always washed before it is allowed to
draw. Persians do not like strong tea.
In after years, in Persia, I was somewhat intrigued to make out
why my sweeper objected to sweep his carpets with tea-leaves, and
it was only on pressure that I extracted the fact that “the servants
always dried my strong black tea-leaves and sold them as tea in the
bazaar.”
After some chat in Persian, which Colonel G⸺ spoke in a
masterly manner, the Colonel asked for “the pipe of departure,”
which, it appears, is the best way of going, as it is considered polite
to ask permission to depart, and not to get up and go.
Our host was a largely-built, well-set-up man, dressed in a pair of
uniform trousers, stockings (he had removed his shoes on entering
the room), and a thick black frock-coat, such as the Turks wear, lined
with fur; he did not show any linen. His hair and beard were jetty
black, as was his heavy moustache. He wore a black Astrachan hat,
which he did not remove, and a sword. He insisted on coming to the
door with us, and shook hands in the most cordial manner.
As we were on the road home the Colonel asked me if I could give
a guess as to our friend’s age. I said, confidently, “From forty to forty-
five.”
“He is probably eighty—certainly over seventy. The black hair
which you see is the result of dye. The whole of the upper classes,
and all townsmen, military or government employés, dye their hair; it
is done usually once or twice a week, and the substances used are,
first henna, then indigo. They are allowed to remain on many hours;
the result is the fine black dye you see. The villagers, as a rule, use
only the henna, which gives a deep purply-black to black hair, and a
bright red to white.”
I was also told that when in deep mourning a Persian ceases to
dye at all (and, alas! at first he also ceases to wash); the result is
comical in the extreme, for one sees men with beards of some foot
or more in length half red or rusty black, and the rest quite white.
When ill, too, he does not dye.
Afterwards I could always by this means make a pretty shrewd
guess, even before asking the question, as to how long a patient had
been on the sick-list, by the length of the undyed part of his beard.
The next evening we went to the opera, and saw ‘Don Giovanni’;
the acting and singing was fairly good, but the auditorium, though it
was not by any means a gala night, was brilliant in the extreme.
Circassian officers, in their long coats of white, pale blue, black, &c.,
their breasts covered with the ornamental little silver boxes of niello-
work that contain, or are supposed to contain, the charges for their
picturesque weapons; their long straight swords, silver or silver-gilt;
and the belts, that would delight South Kensington people, covered
with bosses of this same niello-work; their boots, reaching in some
cases to the knee, fitting like gloves at the foot, and so wrinkly down
the shin as to certainly drive a West End coachman mad with
jealousy. Then the hats—cylinders of shaggy sheepskins—white,
gray, black, surmounted by a bit of inner cap of blue, red, scarlet, or
white, elaborately embroidered in gold. And good-looking men, too;
no little fellows—all big strapping men, who looked as if they could
ride and fight, as well as come to the Tiflis Opera. Nearly all were
decorated; some had many medals and orders. This decoration is
overdone in the Russian Army.
With the ladies I was disappointed—the Georgians and
Immeritians were in the large majority. They were heavy-jowled
females, who seemed to wear a profusion of rich clothes; they had a
sort of crown of velvet and gold lace, over which hung down at the
back an embroidered kerchief and hideous jewelry. They never
smiled—still the brilliant officers hung over their chairs; and perhaps
they may have been very charming. They all had big eyes and a
quantity of coarse hair. One or two blonde Russian ladies were
present, and they were much dressed.
The little theatre was peculiarly decorated in a semi-oriental style,
and the coup d’œil was really very striking. The portion of the opera
which seemed to give the greatest satisfaction was the introduced
ballet, which I understand was composed of Tiflis girls; they did not
dance well, but were remarkably handsome, and much applauded.
This theatre has been since burnt down, and a larger one erected.
As Colonel G⸺ was compelled to remain here eight days I was
able to go again to the Opera, and I saw ‘Masaniello’ very fairly
done.
I went all over the town looking out for a souvenir, but there was
nothing but silver work, which was dear, and beyond my means at
that time.
We had here our first taste of the celebrated Kakheiti wine. There
are two sorts, white and red—the latter is the best; it is a strong,
coarse, rough wine, and has a very leathery taste. As it is kept in
skins, and not casks, this is not to be wondered at. It contains a
great deal of tannin, and our landlord told me if kept in casks it
turned black, probably from this excess of tannin (or perhaps bad
casks). It costs at the hotel a rouble a bottle.
One thing that strikes one in Russia is the peculiarly good bread. I
have now been in Russia five times, and I never have tasted
anywhere bread so white or so delicious. Often have I made a
breakfast of it, and sent my cutlet untasted away.
We laid in a good supply; and, with some Kakheiti wine, some
stout, cold fowls, and tea, we left Tiflis, knowing we should get
nothing till we got to Tabriz. The tarantass had been thoroughly
overhauled; and, in a heavy drizzle, off we went, well provisioned by
Arsène Barberon.
After four days’ severe travelling we reached Erivan. Snow had
fallen heavily, and rendered some of the defiles of the Caucasus
almost impassable, in particular one called Delijan, at the head of
Lake Jeukjar. There we were obliged to have seven horses to the
tarantass to pull and some men to push, in which we assisted. We
had a precipice going sheer down on one side and snow twelve feet
deep on the other. Our difficulties were increased by meeting three
hundred camels laden with huge unpressed bags of Erivan (or
Persian?) cotton, in a place where there was hardly room to pass,
and it was impossible for either party to turn back. Our Cossacks,
however—we had two of these gentry—by whipping the drivers,
made them go on the outer or dangerous side, while we remained
stationary until the camels had passed; then, amid much shouting
and swearing, we did the Pass.
At four stages from Tiflis we had our luggage put on camels to be
brought on to Erivan, and went on ourselves in the tarantass, with
never less than five horses. The most slashing races take place on
the road, as he who succeeds in presenting his padoroschna (or
permit to take post-horses) first, takes as many horses as he needs;
and if the roads are bad often takes all, as he wishes to be well
ahead of rival travellers.
In Erivan we are in savage Russia—the people are the ugliest and
dirtiest we have yet come across. At the so-called hotel they gave us
two wooden bunks with mattresses—a great luxury after the post-
houses without. Our servant, a ferocious Persian lent us by the
consul at Tiflis, named Mahommed Ali, having ordered water for
washing, the waiter, if the greasy ruffian could be dignified with that
title, asked if it would not do in the morning.
On being sworn at in Turkish and Russian by Mahommed Ali, and
afterwards beaten in the passage, water in one brass jug and one
basin was brought, and the Russian stood by to pour it over our
hands—this is the cleanly mode of performing one’s ablutions here.
The fellow then brought a dirty towel, on which Mahommed Ali again
remonstrated with him in the passage in a forcible manner; in this
sort of thing Mahommed Ali is very useful.
On leaving Erivan, which was covered with snow, we reached in a
day and night Nakchewan; round this place I saw cotton bushes—of
course they were bare. Here we rested a night.
Going on next morning, we came to Julfa, the frontier village of a
few hovels. Crossing the river Araxes, a shallow stream, we put up in
the windowless telegraph office. As we saw nothing but snow since
we left Tiflis, there has been little to describe in the way of scenery;
as may be fancied, the cold was intense. We are now in Persia.
CHAPTER II.
POST JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL.