are tinned mandarin oranges a health hazard ?

While out shopping with a friend today, she mentioned that she never eats mandarin oranges out of a tin because they are chemically treated to remove the skin and pith from the segments...

I'd never thought about it before, but it turns out that they scald the segments with hot water to loosen the skins , then they are bathed in a lye solution which digests the albedo and membranes. Finally, the segments undergo several rinses in plain water.

Lye brings to mind soap and other cleaning products !!

Here is a video of the de-skinning process...

I suppose it's a safe process or the health authorities would not allow it, but I can see that the idea might put people of. I shall however continue to use them as they are a really handy addition to salads, desserts and combine SO well with chocolate !

One of my favorite recipes is chichory salad with mandarin oranges and walnuts:

• Mix some yoghurt based mayonaisse with some grapefruit juice
• Chop the chicory into small pieces
• Mix together with the mandarin oranges and walnuts
• For extra interest serve in the large outside leaves of the chickory

And a luscious dessert isthis easy individual chocolate trifle:

• cut a slice of plain cake in the bottom of a wine glass
• boil the juice form the oranges until reduced to 1/3
• mix with rum and pour over the cake
• fill with home made or bought chocolate mousse
• top with mandarin oranges (tinned)
• decorate with grated chocolate

YUMMY