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Inseason Produce & Ripeness SSOT
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Longan

LONG-un โ€ข drupe

๐ŸŸข Non-Climacteric (Vine Only) ๐Ÿ›ก Low Ethylene

How to Tell if Longan is Ripe

Store Check

Longan is a non-climacteric fruit and does NOT ripen after being picked. It will only soften or rot. Buy it ready to eat.

๐Ÿ‘ Visual Checks

  • Look for uniform color without green under-tones
  • Check for matte/dull skin rather than shiny plastic finish
  • Look for natural sugar spots or field marks

โœ‹ Tactile & Aroma

  • Heft: Should feel heavy for its size (indicates juice content)
  • Give: Slight yield under gentle palm pressure, never thumb poking
  • Aroma: Fragrant sweet smell at the stem end

How to Store Longan

Optimal Spot fridge
Shelf Life (Ripe) 5โ€“7 Days
Ethylene Sensitivity Tolerant

Storage Protocol: Store immediately in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Keep away from high ethylene emitters like bananas and apples.

Peak Seasonality & Harvest Geography

USDA / AMS Verified

Peak season is July through October in subtropical Asia and Florida. Available year-round in Asian grocery stores (fresh in season, canned or dried year-round).

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Global Growing Geography: Subtropical Asia, notably China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Florida

Common Varieties & PLU Codes

Variety Name PLU Codes Characteristics
Kohala โ€” Standard commercial supermarket cultivar
Biew Kiew โ€” Standard commercial supermarket cultivar
Diamond River โ€” Standard commercial supermarket cultivar
Chompoo โ€” Standard commercial supermarket cultivar

Kitchen Pairings & Chef Hacks

Flavor Pairings

Lotus SeedRed DateGingerJasmine Tea

Chef Hacks & Prep Tricks

๐Ÿ’ก Peel & Chill: Pinch shell near stem to pop open, serve over crushed ice.
Pocket Encyclopedia

Never buy under-ripe fruit again.

Carry tactile ripeness indicators, PLU barcode decoders, seasonal radar, and ethylene storage charts offline in your pocket.

Download for iOS โ†—

Compare Head-to-Head

Compare sweetness, sugar content, and glycemic indicators against other fruits.