Bizzare Facts

The fruit we named a color after wasn't originally that color. The **orange** originated in Southeast Asia and was a hybrid of a tangerine and a pomelo. In these warm, tropical climates, the skin of the fruit contains plenty of **chlorophyll**, meaning the fruit remains bright **green** on the outside even when it is fully ripe and sweet on the inside.

Oranges only turn orange when exposed to cool temperatures, which breaks down the chlorophyll. In many parts of the world (like Vietnam and Thailand), oranges are still sold green. In the West, however, consumers associate green with 'unripe,' so producers often treat the fruit with ethylene gas or cold shock them to force the skin to turn the signature orange color.