Now that you're fired up with fresh citrus ideas, you'll want to focus on the logistical side. Issues of sizing, storage, cost and yield are critical to foodservice operators. If you provide customers with nutritional data, you'll need the numbers on citrus. Maybe you're unsure what size grapefruit to spec, or how changing to a larger orange will affect your food costs. You'll find answers to these questions and more below.

Sizing
Lemons, oranges and grapefruits are sorted and packed in cartons by size so you can choose the appropriate size for your needs. The bigger the fruit, the fewer per carton.

Storage
• If unrefrigerated, keep citrus in a cool, well-ventilated area. Citrus can be kept at room temperature for a few days but will last longer with refrigeration.

• Preferred storage temperature for most citrus: 45ºF to 48ºF. Grapefruit like it a little warmer (50ºF to 55ºF). Keep unboxed fruit in a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss.

• Keep cartons on pallets off the floor for better air circulation.

Nutrition
In general, citrus fruits are low in calories; have no cholesterol or sodium and virtually no fat; and are a good source of vitamin C, folate and dietary fiber. What's not to like?

Yield
How many lemons do you need to make a gallon of lemonade? How many oranges do you need to give 200 diners three orange segments each? Answers below. In the meantime, here are some quick tips for calculating yield:

6 medium lemons = 1 cup juice
3 to 4 medium oranges = 1 cup juice
1 medium grapefruit = 3/4 cup juice
1 medium lemon = 3 teaspoons grated peel
1 medium orange = 4 teaspoons grated peel
1 medium orange = 10 to 11 segments
1 medium grapefruit = 10 to 12 segments

Answers:

1. Your lemonade recipe calls for 1 quart lemon juice (requiring 24 lemons), 3 cups sugar and 1 gallon of water, yielding almost 1-1/2 gallons. To make 1 gallon, you'll need to make two-thirds of a recipe, so you'll need approximately 16 lemons.

2. You need 600 orange segments, so you need approximately 60 oranges.