Purple mangosteen
The “purple mangosteen” colloquially known simply as mangosteen or Mang Khut (pronounced as Mung Khoot) is a tropical evergreen tree. Purple mangosteen is one of the most praised of tropical fruits, and certainly the most esteemed fruit of all. It has been called the “queen of tropical fruits”. It is believed to have originated from the Sunda Islands (Malay archipelago) and the islands of Maluku (Indonesian archipelago). Purple mangosteen is only variety known as the native variety because mangosteen is grown with seed and the seed does not arise from fertilisation. Purple mangosteen is called “super fruit” because it contains a class of naturally occurring polyphenol compounds known as xanthones. Mangosteens are usually eaten fresh as dessert. Apart from eaten fresh, they are also made into jam and preserve.

Thai purple mangosteen
Thailand is one of the main mangosteen producing countries, of which it is ranked the fourth in the world by the volume of total production. Purple mangosteen is one of the most favourite fruits of Thailand. Considering the current purple mangosteen fruits market, there is a high demand for both domestic and international market in the form of fresh and frozen fruits. However, Thai mangosteen has attracted foreigners and export markets in Europe, the Middle East and many Asian countries as it is of high quality. Medicinally, the Thai purple mangosteen’s shiny purple skin contains tannin, which helps healing wounds and stopping serious diarrhea. Tannin from mangosteen skin is also used in the cosmetic industry.