Chinotto

What is chinotto?

Chinotto (Citrus x myrtifolia) is both the common term of an arboreal plant belonging to the Rutaceae family, and the noun used to indicate its fruits, but also the name of a famous carbonated soft drink based on the latter.

The chinotto tree, descending from bitter orange, is distinguished by the characteristic shape of the leaves, which strangely resemble those of the myrtle. The fruits are instead more similar to those of its close relative and are used as an ingredient both in the food field (for example for the very famous and homonymous soft drink), and in the cosmetic field.

Raw, the chinotto fruits are not considered entirely edible, not because they are poisonous, but because of their deeply bitter taste.

The chinotto grows more or less throughout the Mediterranean basin and in Italy it is particularly widespread in the north-west and south-west.

Nutritional properties