Mandarin Orange

When can babies eat mandarins?

Mandarins, because they are a choking hazard and must be cut into small pieces that are challenging for young babies to pick up, are best introduced around 9 months of age when the pincer grasp develops.

Background and origins of mandarins

Mandarins are on the smaller side with sweet, juicy flesh that is less acidic than your typical navel orange. Almost all mandarins have very thin, easy-to-peel skin, which ranges in color from red to orange to yellow to green. They are native to China and are believed to be one of the original wild citrus species—along with citron and pomelo—from which all other cultivated citrus fruits have been bred. The mandarin’s descendants are many, including blood oranges, clementines, grapefruit, satsumas, sour oranges, sweet oranges, tangelos, tangerines, and uglifruit to name a few. Brazil, California, Morocco, Spain, and Turkey produce most of the world’s commercially cultivated mandarins, which are celebrated as a symbol of good fortune during the Lunar New Year and gifted at Christmastime in the United States and other countries.

Mandarins are often eaten fresh or squeezed for their sweet juice, but the citrus is also used to make essence, oil, peel, and more. For our purposes, the information here is about the fruit itself.

★Tip: While some mandarins are seedless thanks to hybridization, there are still plenty of varieties with seeds on the market. Keep an eye out for seeds and take care to remove them before serving.

Are mandarins healthy for babies?

Yes. Mandarins contain tons of vitamin C, which powers baby’s immune system and aids the absorption of iron from plant foods like beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds. Mandarins also contain B-vitamins (including folate), plenty of beta carotene (which converts to vitamin A), and many other beneficial plant nutrients like carotenoids and phenols.¹ These nutrients work together to promote healthy growth, development, and vision. The pulp also contains fiber to promote gut health. What’s more is that mandarins contain a particular carotenoid called beta-cryptoxanthin, which offers antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory benefits (and more).^{2 3}

Are canned mandarins okay? Yes, but try to choose fresh fruit when possible. Canned fruit is often soaked in a lye solution to remove the fruit skins and usually contains added sugar (which often shows up as “100% fruit juice”) for preservation.⁴ Food preferences start early, and kids who are regularly offered canned fruit (which is softer and sweeter) naturally learn to love it. Of course, fruit is better than no fruit. Do what you can with the budget and resources available to you.

★Tip: Like grapefruit, mandarins may interact with medications.⁵ If a child is taking medications, consider talking to their health care provider to learn more.

Can babies drink mandarin juice?

No. Juice of any kind should not be given to babies unless directed to do so by a health provider. After the first birthday, small amounts of juice (less than 4 ounces a day, ideally diluted with water to reduce sweetness) may be safely offered.⁶ That said, we believe that it is best to wait to serve juice until age two and even then, to limit the amount offered to minimize sugar (including natural sugar) in your child’s diet. Regular and especially excessive consumption of sweet beverages (even naturally sweet drinks like orange juice) may reduce the diversity of foods and nutrients consumed and increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and dental caries.⁷ Plus, whole oranges are more nutritious than juice.

Are mandarins a common choking hazard for babies?

Yes. Citrus segments (if left in the surrounding membrane) and seeds are choking hazards for babies and children. To minimize the risk, cut the mandarin’s flesh away from the papery membrane and serve as bite size pieces (see video). Note that juicy fruits like mandarins may cause a fair amount of coughing as baby learns to eat it. This is because the juice shoots out of the fruit under pressure, which can be tricky for babies to learn to manage. While this is generally not a concern and resolves with practice and time, be prepared for some coughing and gagging.

As always, make sure you create a safe eating environment and stay within an arm’s reach of baby during meals. For more information, visit our section on gagging and choking and familiarize yourself with common choking hazards.

Are mandarins a common allergen?

No. However, self-reported sensitivity to citrus is described frequently in medical literature around the world. Individuals with Oral Allergy Syndrome (also called pollen-food allergy syndrome) may be sensitive to citrus fruit such as mandarins.^{8 9} In particular, individuals who are sensitive to grass and certain tree pollens may also be more sensitive to citrus fruits.¹⁰ Oral Allergy Syndrome typically results in short-lived itching in the mouth and is unlikely to result in a dangerous reaction.

In some cases, allergy to proteins in orange can result in serious reactions. There is evidence to suggest that the major allergens causing serious allergic reactions to mandarins (and oranges) are concentrated within the seed of the fruit—and while uncommon, chewing the seeds may be responsible for allergic reactions.¹¹

There are also reports of mandarin (and orange) ingestion contributing to eczema.¹² In addition to being sweet, many oranges are also acidic, and the acid in citrus fruit can cause a harmless rash on the skin, typically around the mouth. It usually dissipates shortly after it shows up.

As you would when introducing any new food, start by offering a small quantity for the first couple of servings. If there is no adverse reaction, gradually increase the quantity over future meals.

How do you prepare mandarins for babies with baby-led weaning?

Every baby develops on their own timeline, and the suggestions on how to cut or prepare particular foods are generalizations for a broad audience. Your child is an individual and may have needs or considerations beyond generally accepted practices. In determining the recommendations for size and shape of foods, we use the best available scientific information regarding gross, fine, and oral motor development to minimize choking risk. The preparation suggestions we offer are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for child-specific, one-on-one advice from your pediatric medical or health professional or provider. It is impossible to fully eliminate all risk of a baby or child choking on any liquid, puree, or food. We advise you to follow all safety protocols we suggest to create a safe eating environment and to make educated choices for your child regarding their specific needs. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen here.

6 to 9 months old: Consider waiting and opt for large wedges of orange on the peel. For mandarins to be safe for babies, the flesh must be cut out of the papery membrane, which yields very small pieces of fruit, which will be frustrating for baby to try to pick up on their own. If you are set on serving mandarins at this age, remove the fruit from the membrane, flatten with the back of a fork, and serve atop some yogurt or other scoopable food in a bowl that suctions to the table and encourage baby to scoop with their hands.

9 to 18 months old: Cut the mandarin top off (as shown in video) and lift each segment out of each membrane pocket and offer as bite-size finger food pieces. Remember that mandarins, clementines, and other small citrus fruit segments left in their membrane can be a choking hazard, so when in doubt, remove the fruit from the membrane.

18 to 24 months old: Graduation time! If you feel comfortable with the toddler’s chewing and swallowing skills, consider offering mandarin segments cut in half, with the membrane intact. Once the child has demonstrated that they can chew these pieces, consider working up to whole mandarin segments, coaching the child to take bites (rather than popping the whole segment into their mouth.) Of course, you can also continue to offer bite-sized pieces of segments with the membranes removed and large sections of orange on the peel for biting and tearing practice. Around age 2, you may find children are ready to learn how to peel a whole mandarin. This is a terrific activity for fine motor skills!

For more information on how to cut food for baby’s age, hop over to our section on Food Sizes & Shapes.

Reviewed by

J. Truppi, MSN, CNS

V. Kalami, MNSP, RD

K. Rappaport, OTR/L, MS, SCFES, IBCLC

K. Grenawitzke, OTD, OTR/L, SCFES, IBCLC, CNT

S. Bajowala, MD, FAAAAI. Board-Certified Allergist & Immunologist (allergy section)

R. Ruiz, MD, FAAP. Board-Certified General Pediatrician & Pediatric Gastroenterologist

1. Czech, A., Zarycka, E., Yanovych, D., Zasadna, Z., Grzegorczyk, I., Kłys, S. (2020). Mineral Content of the Pulp and Peel of Various Citrus Fruit Cultivars. Biological trace element research, 193(2), 555–563. DOI:10.1007/s12011-019-01727-1. Retrieved September 15, 2020
2. Goldenberg, L., Yaniv, Y., Porat, R., & Carmi, N. (2018). Mandarin fruit quality: a review. Journal of the science of food and agriculture, 98(1), 18–26. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.8495
3. Jiao, Y., Reuss, L. & Wang, Y. β-Cryptoxanthin: Chemistry, Occurrence, and Potential Health Benefits. Curr Pharmacol Rep 5, 20–34 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40495-019-00168-7
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5. Theile, D., Hohmann, N., Kiemel, D., Gattuso, G., Barreca, D., et al. (2017). Clementine juice has the potential for drug interactions – In vitro comparison with grapefruit and mandarin juice. European journal of pharmaceutical sciences : official journal of the European Federation for Pharmaceutical Sciences, 97, 247–256. DOI:10.1016/j.ejps.2016.11.021. Retrieved November 20, 2020
6. American Academy of Pediatrics: HealthyChildren.org. (2017). Where We Stand: Fruit Juice. Retrieved September 15, 2020
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9. Iorio, R.A., Del Duca, S., Calamelli, E., Pula, C., Lodolini, M., (2013). Citrus allergy from pollen to clinical symptoms. PloS one, 8(1), e53680. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0053680. Retrieved November 20, 2020
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