How Is Seedless Fruit Made, Actually?

It's delicious and convenient, and there are more varieties coming to market.

Aside from husking corn, peeling garlic, or hulling pineapple, there is, perhaps, no kitchen task more tedious than removing seeds from a fruit. The bitter capsules of evil, while generally important and necessary in plant reproduction, can practically litter the entire flesh of a watermelon, lemon, or mandarin orange, making it almost not worth the effort. Key word: almost.

But with advancements in farming techniques and good ol’ fashioned luck came the ability to generate seedless varieties of our favorite produce. And shockingly enough, flavor, texture, and juiciness wasn’t sacrificed in the process.

“With seedless lemons, Americans can take the hassle out of cooking and baking and save time in the kitchen,” says Zak Laffite, president of Wonderful Citrus. (The Wonderful brand currently boasts seven options, from lemons and limes to Texas red grapefruit and the kid-friendly mandarin Halos.)

We chatted with Laffite to make sense of this wizardry in agriculture, as well as plans for the seedless fruit industry’s future.

How to Grow Seedless Fruit

While the nuances of seedless produce production may vary by fruit, the general phenomenon is known as parthenocarpy: the development of fruit without fertilization.

Fruit forms after a flowering plant is pollinated (thank you, bees and other insects), which also results in natural seed development. In rare cases, mutations occur and fruit grows without fertilization and without the seeds that typically accompany it. Farmers found a way to propagate these rare instances and encourage the future growth of seedless plants through different farming techniques.

“To create more seedless lemon trees [specifically], an Australian farmer took a bud from the seedless lemon tree he discovered and replanted it into the root stock (the existing base) of another tree,” explains Laffite. “This process is called grafting, a horticultural technique used to join parts from two or more plants so that they grow as a single plant.”

“With that, a new variety was born, known to horticulturists as ESL2,” he adds, noting that this process isn’t exclusive to lemons.

It is important to emphasize that seedless fruits are not genetically modified organisms (GMOs)—it’s simply taking advantage of a natural (though infrequent) occurrence, manipulating future growth by preventing fertilization, and then capitalizing on the outcome through modern-day practices. Through time and some finessing, this is how companies like Wonderful can create enough supply to meet the demands of millions of seedless lemon-loving consumers.

But do keep in mind that interference in plant cultivation isn’t as straightforward as it seems. It can take years of trial and error to get it just right. Seedless oranges, for example, may require nets to keep bees away and watermelons have their chromosomes doubled, sometimes with a chemical compound called colchicine (which still doesn’t qualify as a GMO) to yield the beloved seedless fruit.

Does Seedless Fruit Taste Different?

There is not enough scientific evidence to prove that seedless fruit varieties either taste better or worse than their seed-laden counterparts, though many argue seedlessness actually enhances a fruit’s plumpness and sweetness.

The former makes logical sense with more flesh volume per unit (which will obviously emit more juice), but the latter is likely based on when they were harvested and how far they traveled.

Of course, flavor can be imparted by customizing and readjusting different farming methods, which is why we have many iterations of everyday fruits like apples or more bizarre, marketing-friendly off-shoots like cotton candy grapes. But don’t expect a drastically different outcome on the palate profile with a standard seedless fruit—if it tastes different, it’s likely that your mind is playing tricks on you.

When Is Seedless Fruit In Season?

While the joys of seedless fruit can be treasured for most of the year, there usually isn’t enough supply to keep up with the demand. Some seedless fruits, like watermelon, can be enjoyed year-round. But seedless lemons are fairly new to the market and are still considered seasonal.

“As the lemon trees continue to mature and grow, we will expand to year-round availability and increased distribution,” shares Laffitte. “It's taken years to perfect the growing and farming practices and obtain acres of orchards to grow and mature enough trees to produce the quantity of fruit needed to bring this new variety to market.”

A commitment to volume is Wonderful’s primary mission for the next five years, which should mean easier access for consumers and more visibility in grocery stores across the country.

When life gives you lemons, make them seedless, apparently. And save yourself the inevitable headache of the mundane prepping that goes into cooking, baking, drink-making, and/or just plain snacking.