Description

History:

Figs were probably one of the first fruits to be dried and stored by man. There was a fig tree in the Garden of Eden, and in fact, the fig is the most talked about fruit in the Bible. Whether a fig was the forbidden fruit is debatable, but it is definite that a fig tree provided the first clothing; “...the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”

Figs were mentioned in a Babylonian hymn book about 2000 BC. Legend has it that the Greek goddess Demeter first revealed to mortals the fruit of autumn, which they called the fig. The fig tree was held sacred in all countries of Southwestern Asia, and in Egypt, Greece, and Italy.

The ancient city of Attica was famous for its figs and they soon became a necessity for its citizens, rich or poor. Solon, the ruler of Attica (639-559 BC), actually made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, reserving them solely for his citizens. The Persian King Xerxes, after his defeat by the Greeks at Salamis in 480 BC, had figs from Attica served him at every meal to remind him that he did not possess the land where this fruit grew.

Every inhabitant of Athens, including Plato, was a “philosykos.” Literally translated, “a friend of the fig.” And Mithridates, the Greek King of Pontus, heralded figs as an antidote for all ailments, instructed his physicians to use them medicinally, and ordered his citizens to consume figs daily. As a token of honor, figs were used as a training food by the early Olympic athletes, and figs were also presented as laurels to the winners as the first Olympic “medal.”

The Romans regarded Bacchus as the god who introduced the fig to mankind. This made the tree sacred, and all images of the god were often crowned with fig leaves. The first figs of the season were offered to Bacchus, and at festivals in his honor, devout females wore garlands of dried figs.

Pliny, the Roman writer (52-113 AD) said, “Figs are restorative. They increase the strength of young people, preserve the elderly in better health and make them look younger with fewer wrinkles.”

It is said that the prophet Mohammed once exclaimed: “If I should wish a fruit brought to Paradise it would certainly be the fig.”

Figs are mentioned in Homer’s Iliad, as well as the Odyssey; by Aristophanes, Herodotus and Cato; and the fig is reported to have been the favorite fruit of Cleopatra, with the asp that ended her life being brought to her in a basket of figs.

Figs were brought to California by the Spanish missionary fathers who first planted them at the San Diego Mission in 1759. Fig trees were then planted at each succeeding mission, going North through California. The Mission fig, California’s leading black fig, takes its name from this history. The popular Calimyrna fig, golden brown in color, is the Smyrna variety that was brought to California’s San Joaquin Valley from Turkey in 1882, and was renamed Calimyrna in honor of its new homeland.

Fig varieties:

Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The seeds are drupes, or the real fruit. Figs are the only fruit to fully ripen and semi-dry on the tree.

There are literally hundreds of fig varieties, but only about half a dozen are grown commercially in California. The following varieties are grown, dried and packaged for the consumer and the industrial market:

The Calimyrna Fig - Noted for its delicious nut-like flavor and tender, golden skin, the Calimyrna fig is the popular favorite for eating out of hand. As the name implies, the Calimyrna is the California version of the Smyrna fig, which was imported by a San Joaquin Valley grower.

The Mission Fig - Named for the mission fathers who planted the fruit as they traveled north along the California coast, the Mission fig is famous for its distinctive flavor. The fresh fruit exhibits a deep purple shade which darkens to a rich black when dried, making this fig an esthetic, as well as an edible, delight in all recipes.

The Kadota Fig - The Kadota fig, the American version of the original Italian Dattato, is thick-skinned and possesses a beautiful creamy amber color when ripe. Practically seedless, this fig is a favorite for canning and preserving as well as drying.

The Adriatic Fig - Transplanted from the Mediterranean, the Adriatic fig is the most prolific of all the varieties. The high sugar content, retained as the fruit dries to a golden shade, make this fig the prime choice for fig bars and pastes.

Uses/ Benefits:

For many years the fig has been used as a coffee substitute. The fruit contains a proteolytic enzyme that is considered an aid to digestion and is used by the pharmaceutical industry.

And, because of its high alkalinity it has been mentioned as being beneficial to persons wishing to quit smoking.

Dried figs were first sold in a commercially manufactured cookie in 1892.

Figs contain a natural humectant -- a chemical that will extend freshness and moistness in baked products.

A chemical found in figs, Psoralens, has been used for thousands of years to treat skin pigmentation diseases. Psoralens, which naturally occurs in figs, some other plants and fungi, is a skin sensitizer that promotes tanning in the sun.

Figs have the highest dietary fiber content of any common fruit, nut, or vegetable.

Growing Region:

California

All dried figs produced in the United States are grown in the sun-drenched California San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys in California.

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Analysis*:

* Nutrition Information is based on dried and uncooked figs.

Disclaimer: The range of values obtained through various private and government investigators are true and accurate to the best knowledge. Variations may occur due to crop differences year to year. Analysis and ranges of values obtained by various private and governmental sources may vary from actual data obtained from current and future crop years.

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Dried figs are the fruit of the fig tree (Ficus carica) from which the greater portion of moisture has been removed. The dried figs are prepared from clean and sound fruit and are sorted and thoroughly cleaned to assure a clean, sound, wholesome product. The figs may or may not be sulphured or otherwise bleached.

Color types of dried figs.

1. White. White figs (or white type figs) are white to dark brown in color and include such varieties as Adriatic, Calimyrna, and Kadota.
2. Black. Black figs (or black type figs) are black or dark purple in color as in the Mission varieties.

Styles and types of packs of dried figs.

1. Style I, Whole. Style I, Whole (or whole figs) means dried figs in any of the following types of packs:

   (1) Whole, loose, figs, referred to as Style I (a), are whole dried figs, not materially changed from their original dried form, that are packed without special arrangement in a container.

   (2) Whole, pulled, figs, referred to as Style I (b), are whole dried figs which are changed from their original dried form by purposely flattening and shaping and are placed in a definite arrangement in a container. The dried figs may or may not be split slightly across the eye but are not split to the extent that the seed cavity is materially exposed.

   (3) Whole, layered, figs, referred to as Style I (c), are whole dried figs which are changed from their original dried form by purposely flattening and shaping and are placed in a staggered-layer arrangement in a container. The figs are split across the base to the extent that the seed cavity may be materially exposed.

2. Style II, Sliced. Style II, Sliced (or sliced figs) means dried whole figs that have been cut into slices not less than 1/4 inch in thickness and such slices are not recut showing more than two cut surfaces.

Sizes of Style I (a), whole, loose, dried figs.

1. ADRIATIC OR KADOTA.

   No. 1 size (jumbo size) - 1-3/16 inches or larger in width.

   No. 2 size (extra fancy size) - 1-5/16 inches to, but not including, 1-8/16 inches in width.

   No. 3 size (fancy size) - 1-3/16 inches to, but not including, 1-5/16 inches in width.

   No. 4 size (extra choice size) - 1-1/16 inches to, but not including, 1-3/16 inches in width.

   No. 5 size (choice size) - 15/16 inch to, but not including, 1-1/16 inches in width.

   No. 6 size (standard size) - Less than 15/16 inch in width.

2. CALIMYRNA.

   No. 1 size (jumbo size) - 1-9/16 inches or larger in width.

   No. 2 size (extra fancy size) - 1-6/16 inches to, but not including, 1-9/16 inches in width.

   No. 3 size (fancy size) - 1-3/16 inches to, but not including, 1-6/16 inches in width.

   No. 4 size (extra choice size) - 1-1/16 inches to, but not including, 13/16 inches in width.

   No. 5 size (choice size) - 15/16 inch to, but not including, 1-1/16 inches in width.

   No. 6 size (standard size) - Less than 15/16 inch in width.

3. BLACK MISSION.

No. 1 size (jumbo size) - 1-5/16 inches or larger in width.

No. 2 size (extra fancy size) - 1 3/16 inches to, but not including, 1-5/16 inches in width.

No. 3 size (fancy size) - 1-1/16 inches to, but not including, 1-3/16 inches in width.

No. 4 size (extra choice size) - 1-5/16 inch to, but not including, 1-1/16 inches in width.

No. 5 size (choice size) - 13/16 inch to, but not including, 15/16 inch in width.

No. 6 size (standard size) - Less than 13/16 inch in width.

Grades of dried figs.

1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of whole or sliced dried figs in which Style I, whole figs, are of one variety and in which Style II, sliced figs, are of one variety or similar varieties; that are well-matured with not more than 5 percent, by count, of reasonably well-matured dried figs; that are practically uniform in size, except for Style I (a), whole, loose, figs and Style II, sliced figs; that possess a practically uniform typical color; that possess a good flavor; that are free from foreign material; and that do not exceed the maximum allowances and limitations as specified in Table I (Moisture) and Table IIA (Defects in White Figs) and Table IIB (Defects in Black Figs).
2. U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice is the quality of whole or sliced dried figs in which Style I, whole figs, are of one variety and in which Style II, sliced figs, are of one variety or similar varieties; that are reasonably well-matured with not more than 10 percent, by count, of fairly well-matured dried figs; that are reasonably uniform in size, except for Style I (a), whole, loose, figs and Style II, sliced figs; that possess a reasonably uniform typical color; that possess a reasonably good flavor; that are free from foreign material; and that do not exceed the maximum allowances and limitations as specified in Table I (Moisture) and Table IIIA (Defects in White Figs) and Table IIIB (Defects in Black Figs).
3. U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of whole or sliced dried figs that are of one variety or of similar varieties; that are fairly well-matured with not more than 10 percent, by count, of figs that fail to meet the requirements for fairly well-matured dried figs; that are fairly uniform in size, except for Style I (a), whole, loose, figs and Style II, sliced figs; that possess a fairly uniform typical color; that possess a typical and normal flavor; that are free from foreign material; and that do not exceed the maximum allowances and limitations as specified in Table I (Moisture) and Table IVA (Defects in White Figs) and Table IVB (Defects in Black Figs).
4. Substandard is the quality of dried figs that fails to meet the requirements of "U.S. Grade C" or "U.S. Standard."

Moisture allowances for grades of dried figs.

1. Moisture limits. Dried figs shall not exceed the moisture limits for the grades, color types, styles, and groups designated in Table I of this section. Group I includes figs in containers which do not completely enclose and seal the figs; such containers include, but are not limited to, wood boxes or fiber boxes. Group II includes figs packaged in completely sealed packages; such containers include, but are not limited to, cellophane, pliofilm, metal-foil wrapped bags or cartons, and hermetically sealed glass or metal containers.

Moisture Allowances for Dried Figs

Grades: U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy and U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice and U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard

 Standard Packing:

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