Tarocco oranges: variety, red color and vitamin C

The Tarocco oranges they are juicy, generally seedless, with an orange pulp streaked with red to varying degrees. Tarocco is one of the three varieties of the PGI Sicilian Blood Orange, which is harvested from December to May (Qualivita Foundation, s.d.). The intensity of the color depends on the cold, while the quality of the fruit varies with the selection and the vintage. The nutritional value of the whole fruit is mainly due to vitamin C, folates and carotenoids (CREA, 2019).

Tarocco and PGI Sicilian Blood Orange

Tarocco is a variety of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis). With Moro and Sanguinello he forms thePGI Sicilian Blood Orange, which is produced in 32 municipalities in the provinces of Catania, Syracuse and Enna. In 2023, certified production exceeded 26.7 thousand tonnes (Qualivita Foundation, s.d.). The name of the variety, alone, is not equivalent to the denomination: a Tarocco grown outside the area or outside the rules of the specification is not a PGI Sicilian Blood Orange.

In the Tarocco the pulp it is orange with irregular red streaks, while in the Moro it is wine red. Even the peel varies, from orange to more or less intense garnet red shades. The external appearance is therefore not enough to predict the color of the pulp.

Variety and selections, a broader calendar

Under the name Tarocco, various clonal selections are collected, obtained mainly from natural mutations. CREA, the Council for agricultural research and analysis of agricultural economics, indicates two selections among the most used in new plants. The TDV Tarocco matures early, the Lempso Tarocco C5787 It has an intensely colored peel. The breeding work extended the commercial calendar of blood oranges from December to May (Caruso et al., 2026).

A test on eight varieties of blood oranges grafted onto the same rootstock shows how much the selections differ from each other:

• the Tarocco Dal Muso produced the largest fruits, over 350 grams, and the greatest quantity of juice;
• the Tarocco Gallo obtained the best quality parameters, with 13.95 degrees Brix;
• the Tarocco Scirè showed the reddest skin.

Moro and the Spanish Sanguinelli have instead surpassed Tarocco in terms of content phenolic compounds (Forner-Giner et al., 2023).

Also for the Tarocco collection it runs from December to May, with differences between selections, territories and years (Qualivita Foundation, s.d.). It is therefore advisable to choose based on the available selection and its level of maturation, without considering December as the only reference month. Tarocco is also the parent of new citrus fruits, such as Tacle, born from the cross with the Monreal clementine.

Because the pulp turns red

The red color it is due to anthocyanins. In blood oranges, a mobile genetic element, a retrotransposon, has inserted itself next to the gene Ruby, which regulates the production of these pigments. The cold activates the retrotransposon, and with it the gene. For this reason the color appears only in the fruit and only with the low temperatures. All commercial blood oranges come from a single origin. Moro produces more anthocyanins than Tarocco (Butelli et al., 2012).

There cold storage after harvesting it intensifies the color. However, it is an expensive solution and can increase product losses (Butelli et al., 2012).

For those who purchase, the practical consequence is simple. A lightly pigmented Tarocco must be evaluated in terms of all its characteristics: taste, juiciness and integrity. Color is part of the identity of the fruit, but alone it does not measure its quality.

Nutritional values ​​of Tarocco, CREA data

CREA has a specific sheet for fresh Tarocco oranges, based on 19 samples. The edible part is equal to 57% of the fruit and the reference portion is 150 grams (CREA, 2019).

Nutritious	Per 100 g of edible portion	Per portion of 150 g
Energy	190 kJ – 45 kcal	285 kJ – 68 kcal
Fats	0.2g	0.3g
of which saturated fatty acids	n.d.	n.d.
Carbohydrates	10.0g	15.0g
of which sugars	10.0g	15.0g
Fibers	1.6g	2.4g
Proteins	0.7g	1.1g
Salt	n.d.	n.d.
Vitamin A	215 µg (26.9% NRV)	323 µg (40.4% NRV)
Vitamin C	55 mg (68.8% NRV)	83 mg (103.8% NRV)
Folates	47 µg (23.5% VNR)	71 µg (35.5% VNR)

Source: CREA (2019), sheet 'Tarocco oranges, fresh', code 008007. Vitamin A is expressed in retinol equivalent and derives from the carotenoids of the fruit, especially cryptoxanthin. n.d.: data not reported. The other micronutrients are below 15% of the NRVs. These are average values, not identical for each fruit.

One portion alone covers the daily requirement of Vitamin C and more than a third of that of Folates And Vitamin A, in relation to the nutritional reference values ​​set out in Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) no. 1169/2011. This composition would allow nutritional indications 'high in vitamin C', 'source of folate', 'source of vitamin A' (EC regulation 1924/2006, Annex).

Vitamin C and health, benefits and limitations of the evidence

Health claims authorized in the European Union remind you that Vitamin C 'contributes to the normal function of immune system‘ And 'contributes to protection of cells from oxidative stress‘. They also remember that 'contributes to the normal formation of collagen for the normal function of skin' And 'increases the absorption of iron' (EU regulation 432/2012).

There research on blood oranges also includes studies on humans, with different results which have not yet been validated by EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) in view of the authorization of specific health claim. In a controlled trial, 15 overweight adults drank 400 ml of blood orange juice a day for two weeks, or a drink with the same sugar content. Only after the juice did the dilation of the artery in the arm improve, an indicator of the function of the muscles blood vessels, which went from 8.15% to 10.2% (Li et al., 2020).

Whole fruit and juice

Consuming the segments also allows you to consume the fiber. THE'albedo, the white and spongy layer under the colored part of the rind, and the membranes of the segments contribute to the fibrous component of the fruit.

The juice is a pleasant way to enjoy the Tarocco, but it is not the same as the whole fruit. The CREA guidelines specify that the satiating power of fruit and vegetables applies to products consumed as such, and not to juices, extracts or juices. The latter contain less fiber and do not require chewing, which itself stimulates satiety (CREA, 2018). In daily consumption it is therefore advisable to favor the whole fruit.

Tips for purchasing and uses in the kitchen

Intact oranges should be chosen, without mould, lesions or large soft areas. The origin and, when indicated, the varietal selection help to understand the product. For Arancia Rossa di Sicilia PGI it is necessary to look for the complete name and the European symbol. The regulations prohibit de-greening treatments after harvesting, i.e. the artificial coloring of the peel with ethylene. The fruits should be stored in a cool place, checking them periodically.

In addition to natural consumption, Tarocco is suitable for salads with fennel and olives, fruit salads, dressings, sorbets and desserts. To use the peel in the kitchen you need to check that it is intended for food use and read the information on post-harvest treatments. Certified citrus fruits organic always guarantee the edibility of the peel – in the face of the absolute ban on chemical treatments – as well as the highest levels of protection of ecosystems and biodiversity.

The professional buyers they can plan supplies according to the selection calendar. The parameters to be evaluated are the relationship between sugars and acidity, juice yield, caliber, integrity and commercial shelf life. Varietal tests show that the selections differ significantly on these parameters (Forner-Giner et al., 2023).

Dario Dongo

References

Peer-reviewed scientific studies

Forner-Giner, M. Á., Ballesta-de los Santos, M., Melgarejo, P., Martínez-Nicolás, J. J., Melián-Navarro, A., Ruiz-Canales, A., Continella, A., & Legua, P. (2023). Fruit quality and primary and secondary metabolites content in eight varieties of blood oranges. Agronomy, 13(4), 1037. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13041037

Li, L., Lyall, G. K., Martinez-Blazquez, J. A., Vallejo, F., Tomas-Barberan, F. A., Birch, K. M., & Boesch, C. (2020). Blood orange juice consumption increases flow-mediated dilation in adults with overweight and obesity: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of Nutrition, 150(9), 2287–2294. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa158

Technical and historical sources

Butelli, E., Licciardello, C., Zhang, Y., Liu, J., Mackay, S., Bailey, P., Reforgiato-Recupero, G., & Martin, C. (2012). Retrotransposons control fruit-specific, cold-dependent accumulation of anthocyanins in blood oranges. The Plant Cell, 24(3), 1242–1255. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.111.095232

Institutional and supply chain sources

Caruso, M., Cortese, M., Russo, R., & Arlotta, C. (2026, May 30). New CREA/2 varieties: citrus fruits. CREATE Future. https://creafuturo.crea.gov.it/17216/

CREA, Food and Nutrition Research Center. (2018). Guidelines for healthy eating. 2018 revision. https://www.crea.gov.it/web/alimenti-e-nutrizione/-/linee-guida-per-una-sana-alimentazione-2018

CREA, Food and Nutrition Research Center. (2019). Tarocco oranges, fresh: food code 008007. Food composition tables. https://www.alimentinutrizione.it/tabelle-nutrizionali/008007

Qualivita Foundation. (s.d.). PGI Sicilian Blood Orange. Qualigeo. Accessed 13 October 2026. https://www.qualigeo.eu/prodotti-qualigeo/arancio-rossa-di-sicilia-igp/

European Union regulatory sources

Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children's development and health. Consolidated text: 08/20/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432/2025-08-20

Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods. Consolidated text: 12/13/2014. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1924/2014-12-13

Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. Consolidated text: 04/01/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/2025-04-01