Lemon Sketch

The lemon (from Italian citrone) or limone (from Arabic laimūn "lemon") is the fruit of the citrus tree (Citrus × limon) in the genus Citrus, about the size of a fist. It is a group of cultivars that originated from a cross between bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium) and citron (Citrus medica), probably in northern India. Around the year 1000, the first reliable records are found in China as well as in the Mediterranean region. The evergreen trees produce elongated oval fruits (the lemons) with yellow or green-yellow skin.

The juicy, acidic flesh contains about 3.5-8% citric acid and a lot of vitamin C. From lemons are obtained juice, citric acid, essential oil and pectin. Lemons are mainly used as food, but also as an ornamental plant. Occasionally lemon juice has been used as a contraceptive. In addition to the juice, the grated peel of the lemon is popularly used as a flavoring ingredient in cooking and baking, see lemon yellow.

Only the peel of an untreated lemon is suitable for consumption; citrus fruits are usually coated with a waxy protective layer and sprayed with preservatives such as 2-phenylphenol (E231) or thiabendazole (E233) before transport. In the past, biphenyl (E230) was also used. Consumption of such peels is considered unhealthy. Untreated lemon peels are processed into lemon oil. The leaves of the kaffir lime, sometimes called "lemon leaves", are used mainly in Thai cuisine