the library

Starfruit

Fruit & berry· tropical fruit

What it is

Starfruit (carambola) is the fruit of Averrhoa carambola, a tree native to South and Southeast Asia, with a cross-section shaped like a star.

What it tastes like

On the nose: sassafras, orange-rose, citrus. Among its measured molecules: 4-ketoisophorone, 2,4-dimethylhexan-3-one, 2,5-dimethylcyclohexanol, 4-methyltridecane, 2-hydroxy-2-methylhept-6-en-3-one.

24 of 96 compounds on file carry a paper the library can cite.

• myristicinaromaacidMeasured in 4 of 341 ingredients.cite

  16.82% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 4.61% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit -- the paper's abstract states this ether 'found exclusively in these' (the tropically-grown, non-Egyptian) fruits — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Aldehydes, row 17, CLI and CLM columns; discussed in the paper's abstract as found 'exclusively' in tropically-grown fruit)
• safrolearomareads as sassafras (PubChem)Measured in 4 of 341 ingredients.cite

  8.53% average relative peak area in Malaysian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Oxides, row 23, CLM (Malaysian) column)
• methyl hexanoatearomaesterMeasured in 11 of 341 ingredients.cite

  49.82% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit, the single largest peak in the entire table; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit -- the paper's own abstract calls it 'the major component, distinguishing it from other origins' — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 7, CLRE (Egyptian) column; named in the paper's abstract as 'the major component' distinguishing Egyptian fruit)
• 2-heptanonearomaketonereads as pear flavor (PubChem)Measured in 24 of 341 ingredients.cite

  5.69% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian ripe fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 1, Egyptian ripe fruit (CLRE) column)
• methyl octanoatearomaesterreads as oily, somewhat orange taste (PubChem)Measured in 6 of 341 ingredients.cite

  4.23% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 10, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• decanalaromaaldehydereads as citrus (PubChem)Measured in 37 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.10% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 6.16% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Aldehydes, row 15, CLI and CLM columns)
• linalyl acetatearomaterpenoidreads as bergamot-lavender (PubChem)Measured in 12 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.69% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 11, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• hexanoic acidtasteacidMeasured in 25 of 341 ingredients.cite

  3.85% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Acids, row 20, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• β-cyclocitralaromaterpenoidMeasured in 10 of 341 ingredients.cite

  4.89% average relative peak area in Malaysian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Aldehydes, row 16, CLM (Malaysian) column)
• 2-nonanonearomaketoneMeasured in 11 of 341 ingredients.cite

  2.00% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 3, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• limonenearomaterpenoidreads as lemon (PubChem)Measured in 92 of 341 ingredients.cite

  1.40% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Monoterpene hydrocarbons, row 19, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• myrcenearomaterpenoidMeasured in 68 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.46% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Monoterpene hydrocarbons, row 18, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• ethyl hexanoatearomaesterMeasured in 36 of 341 ingredients.cite

  10.32% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit; also named alongside methyl caproate in the Discussion as contributing 'their highest levels' to Egyptian fruit's aroma — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 8, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• nonanalaromaaldehydereads as orange-rose (PubChem)Measured in 62 of 341 ingredients.cite

  16.49% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 13.82% in Malaysian ripe fruit, the largest single aldehyde peak reported; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Aldehydes, row 14, CLI and CLM columns)
• 4-ketoisophoronearomaketoneMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  2.55% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 4, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• 2,4-dimethylhexan-3-onearomaMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  1.25% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 2.73% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 5 ('3-Hexanone, 2,4-dimethyl-'), CLI and CLM columns)
• 2,5-dimethylcyclohexanolaromaMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  9.41% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Alcohols, row 21, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• 4-methyltridecanearomaMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.92% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 10.97% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Aliphatic hydrocarbons, row 24 ('Tridecane, 4-methyl-'), CLI and CLM columns)
• 2-hydroxy-2-methylhept-6-en-3-onearomaMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  1.61% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 6.17% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 2, CLI (Indonesian) and CLM (Malaysian) columns)
• anetholaromaetherreads as sweet taste (PubChem)Measured in 11 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.45% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Oxides, row 22, CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• cis-geranylacetonearomaterpenoidMeasured in 4 of 341 ingredients.cite

  12.13% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 12.72% in Malaysian ripe fruit, the largest single ketone peak in the table; not detected in Egyptian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Ketones, row 6, CLI and CLM columns)
• (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoatearomaesterMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  0.22% average relative peak area in Egyptian ripe starfruit; not detected in Indonesian or Malaysian fruit — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 9 ('3-Hexen-1-ol, propanoate, (Z)-'), CLRE (Egyptian) column)
• oxalic acid, butyl propyl esteraromaMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  1.20% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 1.30% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit. The paper's abstract notes 'considerable amounts of volatile oxalate esters detected via SPME, and which must not be omitted in total oxalate determinations for safety assessments' — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 12, CLI and CLM columns; discussed in the paper's abstract as a food-safety-relevant volatile oxalate ester)
• oxalic acid, heptyl propyl esteraromaacidMeasured in 1 of 341 ingredients.cite

  3.84% average relative peak area in Indonesian ripe starfruit and 6.49% in Malaysian ripe fruit; not detected in Egyptian fruit (see oxalic acid butyl propyl ester entry for the paper's safety note) — Ramadan et al. 2020, Molecules (Table 2, Esters, row 13, CLI and CLM columns; discussed in the paper's abstract as a food-safety-relevant volatile oxalate ester)