View source for Carob

{{Short description|Small tree grown for its edible pods and landscaping}}
{{redirect|Locust bean|the plants known as African locust bean|Parkia}}
{{Distinguish|Carib (disambiguation){{!}}Carib}}

{{Speciesbox
| name = Carob
| image = Ceratonia siliqua Keciboynuzu 1370984 Nevit.jpg
| image_caption = Carob pods on the tree
| taxon = Ceratonia siliqua
| authority = [[Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
| range_map = Ceratonia siliqua range.svg
| range_map_caption = Distribution map <br />
:{{Color box|#70A800}} <small><span style="color:#70A800">'''✖'''</span> Native range and isolated population incl. as [[archaeophyte]]</small>
}}

The '''carob''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|ær|ə|b|}} {{respell|KARR|əb}}; '''''Ceratonia siliqua''''') is a [[Flowering plant|flowering]] evergreen tree or shrub in the [[Caesalpinioideae]] subfamily of the [[legume]] family, [[Fabaceae]]. The carob tree is native to the [[Mediterranean region]] and the [[Middle East]]. It is widely cultivated for its edible [[fruit]], which takes the form of [[seed pod]]s, and as an [[ornamental tree]] in gardens and landscapes. [[Spain]] is its largest producer, followed by [[Italy]] and [[Morocco]].

Carob pods have a number of culinary applications, including a powder or chips that can be used as a [[chocolate]] alternative. The seeds are used to produce [[locust bean gum]] or carob gum, a common [[thickening agent]] used in [[food processing]].

==Description==
[[File:Carob tree leaf.JPG|thumb|A leaflet of the leaf of the carob tree]]
The carob tree grows up to {{convert|15|m|ft|round=5|abbr=off}} tall. The [[Crown (botany)|crown]] is broad and semispherical, supported by a thick trunk with rough brown bark and sturdy branches. Its [[leaves]] are {{convert|10|to|20|cm|in|0|abbr=off}} long, alternate, pinnate, and may or may not have a terminal leaflet. It is frost-tolerant to roughly {{convert|-7|°C|°F}}.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Most carob trees are [[dioecious]], so strictly male trees do not produce fruit, but some are [[Hermaphroditic plant|hermaphroditic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=Prue |name-list-style=vanc |date=14 April 2013 |title=Sweet Crop Broadcast |url=https://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/landline/old-site/content/2013/s3736593.htm |website=Landline}}</ref> When the trees blossom in autumn, the flowers are small and numerous, spirally arranged along the [[inflorescence]] axis in [[catkin]]-like [[raceme]]s borne on spurs from old wood and even on the trunk ([[cauliflory]]); they are [[pollinated]] by both [[Wind-pollinated|wind]] and [[Insect-pollinated|insects]]. The male flowers smell like human [[semen]], an odor that is caused in part by [[amines]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Malodorous Male Flowers Of Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua) |vauthors=Armstrong WP |date=July 28, 2010 |url=http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ww0602.htm |access-date=November 17, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171118222426/http://www2.palomar.edu/users/warmstrong/ww0602.htm |archive-date=November 18, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The [[fruit]] is a [[legume]] (also known commonly, but less accurately, as a ''[[Seed pod|pod]]''), that is elongated, compressed, straight, or curved, and thickened at the sutures. The pods take a full year to develop and ripen. When the sweet, ripe pods eventually fall to the ground, they are eaten by various mammals, such as swine, thereby dispersing the hard inner seed in the excrement.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

The seeds of the carob tree contain [[leucodelphinidin]], a colourless [[flavanol]] precursor related to [[leucoanthocyanidin]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gotfredsen |first=Erik |name-list-style=vanc |title=Leucodelphinidin |url=http://www.liberherbarum.net/Minor/UK/IN1764.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731230047/http://www.liberherbarum.net/Minor/UK/IN1764.htm |archive-date=2017-07-31 |access-date=2017-07-31 |website=Liber Herbarum Minor (English): The incomplete reference-guide to Herbal medicine}}</ref>

==Etymology==

[[File:Illustration Ceratonia siliqua0.jpg|thumb|Illustration of ''Ceratonia siliqua'']]

The word "carob" comes from [[Middle French]] ''{{lang|frm|carobe}}'' (modern French {{lang|fr|caroube}}), which borrowed it from [[Arabic language|Arabic]] {{lang|ar|[[wikt:خروب|خَرُّوبٌ]]}} (''kharrūb'', "locust bean pod") and Persian ''khirnub'',<ref>''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', 1st ed. (1888), [http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/28120 ''s.v.'' 'carob'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928231107/https://www.oed.com/dictionary/carob_n |date=2023-09-28 }}</ref> which ultimately borrowed it perhaps from [[Akkadian language]] ''{{lang|akk|harūb-}}'' or [[Aramaic]] {{lang|arc|חרובא}} ''ḥarrūḇā''.<ref>{{OEtymD|carob|name-list-style=vanc|access-date=2014-05-16}}</ref> '

''Ceratonia siliqua'', the scientific name of the carob tree, derives from the [[Ancient Greek|Greek]]  {{lang|grc|κερατωνία}} ''keratōnía'', "carob-tree" (cf.  {{lang|grc|κέρας}} ''kéras'', "horn"),<ref>{{LSJ|keratwni/a|κερατωνία}}, {{LSJ|ke/ras|κέρας|ref}}.</ref> and [[Latin]] ''siliqua'' "pod, carob".<ref>{{L&S|siliqua|ref}}</ref>

In English, it is also known as "[[John the Baptist|St. John's]] bread"<ref>[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=26531 ITIS Report Page: Ceratonia siliqua] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620181149/https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=26531 |date=2018-06-20 }}. accessed 5.11.2011</ref>{{efn|From the belief that the seeds and pulp were the "locusts" and "honey" eaten by [[John the Baptist]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Little |first=Elbert L. |title=The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees: Western Region |publisher=Knopf |year=1994 |isbn=0394507614 |edition=Chanticleer Press |page=488 |orig-year=1980}}</ref>}} and "locust tree"<ref>{{Cite book |title=The cultivated plants of the tropics and subtropics : cultivation, economic value, utilization |vauthors=Rehm S, Espig G |date=1991 |publisher=Margraf |location=Weikersheim (DE) |pages=viii, 552 p. – p.220}}</ref> (not to be confused with [[Parkia biglobosa|African locust bean]]).<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Conder |first1=Claude Reignier |author-link=Claude Reignier Conder |url=https://archive.org/stream/surveyofwesternp03conduoft#page/354/mode/2up |title=The Survey of Western Palestine: Memoirs of the Topography, Orography, Hydrography, and Archaeology |last2=Kitchener |first2=Herbert H. |author-link2=Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener |publisher=[[Palestine Exploration Fund|Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund]] |year=1883 |volume=3 |location=London |name-list-style=vanc}}, p. 354 s.v. ''Khurbet Jala''</ref> The latter designation also applies to [[locust tree|several other trees]] from the same family.

In [[Yiddish]], it is called {{lang|yi|באקסער}} ''bokser'', derived from the [[Middle High German]] ''bokshornboum'' "ram's horn tree" (in reference to the shape of the carob).<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 February 2005 |title=A Brief on Bokser |url=https://forward.com/news/2887/a-brief-on-bokser/?amp=1 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221222171403/https://forward.com/news/2887/a-brief-on-bokser/?amp=1 |archive-date=22 December 2022 |access-date=22 December 2022 |website=Forward}}</ref>

The [[Carat (mass)|''carat'']], a [[unit of mass]] for [[gemstone]]s, and a [[Carat (purity)|measurement of purity]] for gold, takes its name via the Arabic ''qīrāṭ'' from the Greek name for the carob seed {{lang|grc|[[wikt:κεράτιον|κεράτιον]]}} (lit. "small horn").<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Oxford English Dictionary |vauthors=Pearsall J |date=2011 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-960108-0 |edition=12th |location=New York |page=211 |chapter=keration |access-date=2022-06-21 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4XycAQAAQBAJ&q=keration&pg=PA211 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928231029/https://books.google.com/books?id=4XycAQAAQBAJ&q=keration&pg=PA211#v=snippet&q=keration&f=false |archive-date=2023-09-28 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{OEtymD|carat}}</ref><ref>{{LSJ|kera/tion|κεράτιον|shortref}}.</ref>

== Distribution and habitat ==
The carob tree is native to the [[Mediterranean region]] and the [[Middle East]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tropicos - Name - !Ceratonia siliqua L. |url=http://www.tropicos.org/Name/13028551 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802095941/http://www.tropicos.org/Name/13028551 |archive-date=2017-08-02 |access-date=2011-05-12 |website=tropicos.org}}</ref> Although cultivated extensively, carob can still be found [[Wild plant|growing wild]] in [[eastern Mediterranean]] regions, and has become [[Naturalisation (biology)|naturalized]] in the [[western Mediterranean]].<ref name=ipgri/>{{rp|20}}

The tree is typical in the southern [[Flora of Portugal|Portuguese]] region of the [[Algarve]], where the tree is called ''alfarrobeira'', and the fruit ''alfarroba.'' It is also seen in southern and eastern [[Flora of Spain|Spain]] ({{langx|es|algarrobo, algarroba}}, [[Catalan language|Catalan / Valencian / Balearic]]: ''garrofer, garrofera, garrover, garrovera''), mainly in the regions of [[Andalusia]], [[Murcia]], [[Valencian Community|Valencia]], the [[Balearic Islands]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-16 |title=Agricultura planta 11 varietats de garrovers per a la reproducció de material vegetal a la finca de Sa Granja |url=https://www.caib.es/govern/sac/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.caib.es%2Fgovern%2Fsac%2Ffitxa.do%3Fcodi%3D5147163%26coduo%3D138143%26lang%3Dca |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Conselleria d'Agricultura, Pesca i Medi Natural, Govern de les Illes Balears |language=ca}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and [[Catalonia]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mumbrú |first=Jordi |date=2022-09-02 |title=La febre dels garrofers |url=https://www.ara.cat/societat/medi-ambient/febre-dels-garrofers_130_4477505.html |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Ara.cat |language=ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=El garrofer |url=http://agricultura.gencat.cat/ca/detalls/Publicacio/0122_garrofer-00001 |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Departament d'Acció Climàtica, Alimentació i Agenda Rural, GenCat |language=ca}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pedrero |first=Paula |date=2022-09-19 |title=El boom de la garrofa també arriba les Terres de l'Ebre |url=https://setmanarilebre.cat/el-boom-de-la-garrofa-tambe-arriba-les-terres-de-lebre/ |access-date=2023-10-13 |website=Setmanari l'Ebre |language=ca}}</ref> ([[Catalan language|Catalan / Valencian / Balearic]]: ''garrofer, garrofera, garrover, garrovera''); [[Flora of Malta|Malta]] ({{langx|mt|ħarruba}}), on the [[Flora of Italy|Italian]] islands of [[Sicily]] ({{langx|scn|carrua}}) and [[Sardinia]] ({{langx|sc|carrubba, carruba}}), in Southern [[Flora of Croatia|Croatia]] ({{langx|hr|rogač}}), such as on the island of [[Šipan]], in eastern Bulgaria ({{langx|bg|рожков}}), and in Southern [[Flora of Greece|Greece]], [[Flora of Cyprus|Cyprus]], as well as on many [[Greek islands]] such as [[Crete]] and [[Samos Island|Samos]].{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In [[Flora of Israel|Israel]], the [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]] name is <span lang="He" dir="ltr">חרוב</span> (<small>[[Transliteration|translit]].</small> ''charuv''). The common [[Greek language|Greek]] name is {{lang|el|χαρουπιά}} (<small>[[Romanization of Greek|translit.]]</small> {{Transliteration|el|charoupiá}}), or {{lang|el|ξυλοκερατιά}} (<small>[[Romanization of Greek|translit.]]</small> {{Transliteration|el|xylokeratiá}}, meaning "wooden horn"). In [[Flora of Turkey|Turkey]], it is known as "goat's horn" ({{Langx|tr|keçiboynuzu}}).<ref name=ipgri/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fruits |url=http://www.turkish-cuisine.org/english/pages.php?ParentID=6&FirstLevel=95 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728134522/http://www.turkish-cuisine.org/english/pages.php?ParentID=6&FirstLevel=95 |archive-date=2011-07-28 |access-date=2010-07-26 |publisher=Turkish Cuisine}}</ref>[[File:Arcosu07.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|A large carob tree in [[Sardinia]], [[Italy]]|alt=Carob tree]]

The various trees known as ''algarrobo'' in Latin America (''[[Samanea saman]]'' in [[Flora of Cuba|Cuba]], ''[[Prosopis pallida]]'' in [[Flora of Peru|Peru]], and four species of ''[[Prosopis]]'' in [[Flora of Argentina|Argentina]] and [[Paraguay]]) belong to a different subfamily of the [[Fabaceae]]: [[Mimosoideae]]. Early Spanish settlers named them ''algarrobo'' after the carob tree  because they also produce pods with sweet pulp.<ref name="AEPR">{{Cite web |last=Valentin Calderon |first=Lionel |title=Barrio Algarrobos |url=https://aquiestapuertorico.com/barrio-algarrobos/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308002927/https://aquiestapuertorico.com/barrio-algarrobos/ |archive-date=2019-03-08 |access-date=2019-03-07 |publisher=Aquí Esta Puerto Rico |language=es}}</ref>

== Ecology ==
[[File:Garroves.JPG|thumb|upright=1.35|Ripe carob fruit pods on the tree|alt=]]

The carob genus, ''Ceratonia'', belongs to the legume family, [[Fabaceae]], and is believed to be an archaic remnant of a part of this family now generally considered [[extinct]]. It grows well in warm [[Temperate climate|temperate]] and [[subtropical]] areas, and tolerates hot and humid coastal areas. As a [[xerophyte]] (drought-resistant species), carob is well adapted to the conditions of the Mediterranean region with just {{convert|250|to|500|mm|in|sigfig=1}} of rainfall per year.<ref name=ipgri/>

Carob trees can survive long periods of drought, but to grow fruit, they need {{convert|500|to|550|mm|in|round=each}} of rainfall per year.<ref name=ipgri/> They prefer well-drained, sandy [[loam]]s and are intolerant of [[waterlogging (agriculture)|waterlogging]], but the deep [[root]] systems can adapt to a wide variety of soil conditions and are fairly [[Halotolerance|salt-tolerant]] (up to 3% in soil).<ref name="ipgri">{{Cite book |url=https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/104277 |title=Carob tree |vauthors=Battle I, Tous J |publisher=International Plant Genetic Resources Institute |year=1997 |isbn=978-92-9043-328-6 |location=Rome, Italy |access-date=2011-02-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230618205726/https://cgspace.cgiar.org/handle/10568/104277 |archive-date=2023-06-18 |url-status=live}}{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}</ref> After being irrigated with [[saline water]] in the summer, carob trees could possibly recover during winter rainfalls.<ref name="Correia">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Correia PJ, Gamaa F, Pestana M, Martins-Loução MA |date=2010 |title=Tolerance of young (Ceratonia siliqua L.) carob rootstock to NaCl |journal=Agricultural Water Management |volume=97 |issue=6 |pages=910–916 |doi=10.1016/j.agwat.2010.01.022|bibcode=2010AgWM...97..910C }}</ref> In some experiments, young carob trees were capable of basic [[physiological]] functions under high-salt conditions (40&nbsp;[[Moles per liter|mmol NaCl/L]]).<ref name="Correia" />

Not all legume species can develop a [[Symbiosis|symbiotic relationship]] with [[rhizobia]] to make use of [[Nitrogen#Occurrence|atmospheric nitrogen]]. It remains unclear if carob trees have this ability: Some findings suggest that it is not able to form [[root nodule]]s with rhizobia,<ref name=ipgri/> while in another more recent study, trees have been identified with nodules containing [[bacteria]] believed to be from the genus ''[[Rhizobium]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Missbah El Idrissi M, Aujjar N, Belabed A, Dessaux Y, Filali-Maltouf A |year=1996 |title=Characterization of rhizobia isolated from Carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) |journal=Journal of Applied Microbiology |volume=80 |issue=2 |pages=165–73 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2672.1996.tb03205.x}}</ref> However, a study measuring the [[Isotopic signature|<sup>15</sup>N-signal (isotopic signature)]] in the tissue of the carob tree did not support the theory that carob trees naturally use atmospheric nitrogen.<ref name="LaMalfa">{{Cite journal |vauthors=La Malfa S, Tribulato E, Gentile A, Gioacchini P, Ventura M, Tagliavini M |date=2010 |title=15N natural abundance technique does not reveal the presence of nitrogen from biological fixation in field grown carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) trees |journal=Acta Horticulturae |volume=868 |pages=191–195}}</ref>

== Cultivation ==
The vegetative propagation of carob is naturally restricted due to its low adventitious rooting potential. Therefore, [[grafting]] and [[air-layering]] may prove to be more effective methods of asexual propagation.<ref name="guguay">{{Cite journal |last1=Gubbuk |first1=Hamide |last2=Gunes |first2=Esma |last3=Ayala-Silva |first3=Tomas |last4=Ercisli |first4=Sezai |name-list-style=vanc |date=2011 |title=Rapid Vegetative Propagation Method for Carob |journal=Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca |volume=39 |issue=1 |pages=251–254 |doi=10.15835/nbha3916074 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2011NBHAC..39..251G }}</ref> Seeds are commonly used as the propagation medium. The sowing occurs in [[pot nurseries]] in early spring and the cooling- and drying-sensitive seedlings are then transplanted to the field in the next year after the last frost. Carob trees enter slowly into production phase. Where in areas with favorable growing conditions, the cropping starts 3–4 years after budding, with the nonbearing period requiring up to 8 years in regions with marginal soils. Full bearing of the trees occurs mostly at a tree-age of 20–25 years when the yield stabilizes.<ref name="ipgri" /> The orchards are traditionally planted in low densities of 25–45 trees per [[hectare]] ({{convert|25|to|45|/ha|disp=out|round=5}}). [[Hermaphrodite plant|Hermaphroditic]] or male trees, which produce fewer or no pods, respectively, are usually planted in lower densities in the orchards as [[pollenizer]]s.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

[[Intercropping]] with other tree species is widely spread. Not much cultivation management is required. Only light pruning and occasional tilling to reduce weeds is necessary. Nitrogen-fertilizing of the plants has been shown to have positive impacts on yield performance.<ref name="ipgri" /> Although it is native to moderately dry climates, two or three summers' irrigation greatly aid the development, hasten the fruiting, and increase the yield of a carob tree.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bailey |first=Liberty Hyde |url=https://archive.org/details/standardcyclope02bailgoog |title=The Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture |date=1914 |publisher=The Macmillan Company |page=[https://archive.org/details/standardcyclope02bailgoog/page/n135 718] |access-date=23 November 2011 |name-list-style=vanc}}</ref>

===Harvest and post-harvest treatment===
The most labour-intensive part of carob cultivation is harvesting, which is often done by knocking the fruit down with a long stick and gathering them together with the help of laid-out nets. This is a delicate task because the trees are flowering at the same time and care has to be taken not to damage the flowers and the next year's crop.  The literature recommends research to get the fruit to ripen more uniformly or also for cultivars which can be mechanically harvested (by shaking).<ref name="ipgri" />

Freshly harvested carob pods have a moisture content of 10–20% and should be dried down to a moisture content of 8% so they do not rot. Further processing separates the kernels (seeds) from the pulp. This process is called kibbling and results in seeds and pieces of carob pods (kibbles). Processing of the pulp includes grinding for animal feed production or roasting and milling for human food industry. The seeds have to be peeled which happens with acid or through roasting. The [[endosperm]] and the embryo are then separated for different uses.<ref name="ipgri" />

===Pests and diseases===
Few pests cause severe damage in carob orchards, so they have traditionally not been treated with [[pesticides]]. Some generalist pests such as the larvae of the leopard moth (''[[Zeuzera pyrina]]'' L.), the dried fruit moth (''[[Cadra calidella]]''), small rodents such as rats  (''[[Rattus]] spp.'') and gophers (''[[Pitymys]] spp.'') can occasionally cause damage in some regions. Only some cultivars are severely susceptible to [[mildew]] disease (''[[Oidium ceratoniae]]'' C.). One pest directly associated with carob is the larva of the carob moth (''[[Myelois ceratoniae]]'' Z.), which can cause extensive postharvest damage.<ref name=ipgri/>

''Cadra calidella'' both attack carob crops before harvest and infest products in stores.&nbsp; This moth, prevalent in Cyprus, will often infest the country's carob stores.&nbsp;Research has been conducted to understand the physiology of the moth, in order to gain insight on how to monitor moth reproduction and lower their survival rates, such as through temperature control, [[pheromone trap]]s, or [[parasitoid]] traps.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Cox PD |date=1975 |title=The influence of photoperiod on the life-cycles of Ephestia calidella (Guenee) and Ephestia figulilella Gregson (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae). |journal=Journal of Stored Products Research |volume=11 |issue=2 |pages=77–85 |doi=10.1016/0022-474X(75)90043-0}}</ref>

=== Production ===
In 2022, world production of carob (as locust beans) was estimated to be 56,423 [[tonne]]s,<ref name=faostat/> although not all countries known to grow carob reported their results to the [[Food and Agriculture Organization Corporate Statistical Database|UN Food and Agriculture Organization]]. Production amounts for [[Turkey]] and [[Morocco]] accounted for nearly all the world total reported in 2022.<ref name="faostat">{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Carob production in 2022, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity/Year (pick lists) |url=https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC |access-date=3 July 2024 |publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database ([[FAOSTAT]])}}</ref>

Most of the roughly 50 known cultivars<ref name=ipgri/> are of unknown origin and only regionally distributed. The cultivars show high genetic and therefore morphological and agronomical variation.<ref name=ipgri/> No conventional breeding by controlled crossing has been reported, but selection from orchards or wild populations has been done. Domesticated carobs (''C. s.'' var. ''edulis'') can be distinguished from their wild relatives (''C. s.'' var. ''silvestris'') by some fruit-yielding traits such as building of greater beans, more pulp, and higher sugar contents. Also, genetic adaptation of some varieties to the climatic requirements of their growing regions has occurred.<ref name=ipgri/> Though a partially successful breaking of the [[dioecy]] happened, the yield of [[hermaphroditic plant|hermaphrodite]] trees still cannot compete with that of female plants, as their pod-bearing properties are worse.<ref name="zoha">{{Cite journal |last=Zohary |first=Daniel |name-list-style=vanc |date=2013 |title=Domestication of the carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) |journal=Israel Journal of Plant Sciences |volume=50 |issue=supplement 1 |pages=141–145 |doi=10.1560/BW6B-4M9P-U2UA-C6NN|doi-broken-date=11 July 2025 }}</ref> Future breeding would be focused on processing-quality aspects, as well as on properties for better mechanization of harvest or better-yielding hermaphroditic plants. The use of modern breeding techniques is restricted due to low [[Polymorphism (biology)|polymorphism]] for [[molecular markers]].<ref name=ipgri/>

==Uses==

===Food===
{{multiple image
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| image1 = Carob chocolate chip cookies with coconut and cranberries.jpg
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| caption1 = Carob cookies with carob chips are similar to [[Chocolate chip cookie#Common variants|chocolate chip cookies]].
| image2 = Carob Confections.png
| width2 = 200
| caption2 = Carob [[candy]] that looks like chocolate
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}}
Carob products consumed by humans come from the dried, sometimes roasted, [[Seed pod|pod]], which has two main parts: the [[Pulp (fruit)|pulp]] accounts for 90% and the [[seed]]s 10% by weight.<ref name=ipgri/><ref name="Droste">{{Cite book |last=Droste |first=Rainer |title=Möglichkeiten und Grenzen des Anbaus von Johannisbrot (Ceratonia siliqua L.) als Bestandteil eines traditionellen Anbausystems in Algarve, Portugal |date=1993 |publisher=Goltze |isbn=978-3-88452-743-6 |location=Institut für Pflanzenbau und Tierhygiene in den Tropen und Subtropen, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen |language=de |trans-title=Possibilities and limitations of the cultivation of locust bean (Ceratonia siliqua L.) as part of a traditional farming system in Algarve, Portugal |name-list-style=vanc}}</ref> Carob pulp is sold either as [[flour]] or "chunks".<ref name="Droste" /> The flour of the carob [[embryo]] (seed) can also be used for human and animal nutrition,<ref name="ipgri" /> but the seed is often separated before making ''carob powder''.

Carob pods are mildly sweet on their own (being roughly one third to one half sugar by dry weight), so they are used in powdered, chip or syrup form as an ingredient in [[cake]]s and [[cookie]]s, sometimes as a substitute for [[chocolate]] in recipes because of the color, texture, and taste of carob. In [[Malta]], a [[Traditional food|traditional]] [[Dessert|sweet]] called ''karamelli tal-harrub'' and eaten during the [[Christian holidays]] of [[Lent]] and [[Good Friday]] is made from carob pods.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fenech |first=Natalino |name-list-style=vanc |date=2 April 2007 |title=Lenten treat: Carob caramel sweets |url=https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/lenten-treat-carob-caramel-sweets.21439 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202153220/https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/lenten-treat-carob-caramel-sweets.21439 |archive-date=2 December 2019 |access-date=18 November 2019 |website=Times of Malta}}</ref> Dried carob fruit is traditionally eaten on the [[Jewish holiday]] of ''[[Tu Bishvat]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Soloveichik |first=Meir |name-list-style=vanc |title=Why Jews Used to Eat Dried Carob on Tu b'Shvat |url=https://mosaicmagazine.com/observation/2015/02/why-jews-used-to-eat-dried-carob-on-tu-bshvat/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620102340/https://mosaicmagazine.com/observation/2015/02/why-jews-used-to-eat-dried-carob-on-tu-bshvat/ |archive-date=20 June 2018 |access-date=25 July 2017 |website=Mosaic}}</ref>

Carob pods were used as [[famine food]] in the [[Mediterranean Basin]], including the [[Algarve|southern Atlantic coast of Portugal]] and the Atlantic northwestern [[Morocco|Moroccan]] coast.<ref name=":2">"Carob Pod", Mathew Attokaran, ''Natural Food Flavors and Colorants'', 2017, {{isbn|1119114764}}, p. 112</ref> In [[rabbinic literature]], carob was regarded as a low-status food. One source advises that in times of scarcity, even a single ''kab'' of carobs should not be hoarded. Other rabbinic texts refer to carob as suitable for animal feed.<ref name=":22">{{Cite book |last=Broshi |first=Magen |title=Bread, Wine, Walls and Scrolls |date=2001 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |isbn=978-1-84127-201-6 |series=The Library of Second Temple Studies |location=London |pages=128}}</ref>

==== Carob powder ====
Carob powder (carob pulp flour)<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Martić |first1=Nikola |last2=Zahorec |first2=Jana |last3=Stilinović |first3=Nebojša |last4=Andrejić-Višnjić |first4=Bojana |last5=Pavlić |first5=Branimir |last6=Kladar |first6=Nebojša |last7=Šoronja-Simović |first7=Dragana |last8=Šereš |first8=Zita |last9=Vujčić |first9=Miodrag |last10=Horvat |first10=Olga |last11=Rašković |first11=Aleksandar |date=17 March 2022 |title=Hepatoprotective Effect of Carob Pulp Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) Extract Obtained by Optimized Microwave-Assisted Extraction |journal=Pharmaceutics |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=657 |doi=10.3390/pharmaceutics14030657 |pmc=8950939 |pmid=35336031 |doi-access=free}}</ref> is made of dried or roasted, then finely ground, carob pod pulp.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Higazy |first1=Magda |last2=ELDiffrawy |first2=Entsar |last3=Zeitoun |first3=Mohamed |last4=Shaltout |first4=Omima |last5=Abou El-Yazeed |first5=Ayman |date=31 March 2018 |title=Nutrients of Carob and Seed Powders and Its Application in Some Food Products |url=https://jalexu.journals.ekb.eg/article_162173.html |url-status=live |journal=Journal of the Advances in Agricultural Researches |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=130–147 |issn=1110-5585 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018071207/https://jalexu.journals.ekb.eg/article_162173.html |archive-date=18 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=F Gutkind & Co Ltd |title=Carob Powder |url=https://www.ingredientsnetwork.com/carob-powder-prod1271362.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018071205/https://www.ingredientsnetwork.com/carob-powder-prod1271362.html |archive-date=2022-10-18 |access-date=2022-10-18 |website=Ingredients Network}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rodríguez-Solana |first1=Raquel |last2=Romano |first2=Anabela |last3=Moreno-Rojas |first3=José Manuel |date=30 June 2021 |title=Carob Pulp: A Nutritional and Functional By-Product Worldwide Spread in the Formulation of Different Food Products and Beverages. A Review |journal=Processes |volume=9 |issue=7 |pages=1146 |doi=10.3390/pr9071146 |doi-access=free |hdl-access=free |hdl=10400.1/16836}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Issaoui |first1=Manel |last2=Flamini |first2=Guido |last3=Delgado |first3=Amélia |date=January 2021 |title=Sustainability Opportunities for Mediterranean Food Products through New Formulations Based on Carob Flour (Ceratonia siliqua L.) |journal=Sustainability |language=en |volume=13 |issue=14 |pages=8026 |doi=10.3390/su13148026 |issn=2071-1050 |doi-access=free |bibcode=2021Sust...13.8026I |hdl-access=free |hdl=10400.1/16834}}</ref> Carob powder can be used as a [[ersatz good|substitute]] for [[cocoa powder]], which often occurred during the 1970s [[natural food movement]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Kauffman |first=Jonathan |date=2018-01-31 |title=How Carob Traumatized a Generation |url=https://www.newyorker.com/culture/annals-of-gastronomy/how-carob-traumatized-a-generation |access-date=2023-10-07 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref>

==== Locust bean gum ====
Locust bean gum is produced from the [[endosperm]], which accounts for 42–46% of the carob seed, and is rich in [[galactomannan]]s (88% of endosperm [[dry mass]]). Galactomannans are [[hydrophilic]] and swell in water. If galactomannans are mixed with other gelling substances, such as [[carrageenan]], they can be used to effectively thicken the liquid part of food. This is used extensively in [[canned food]] for animals in order to get the "jellied" texture.<ref name="Droste" />

==== Animal feed ====
While chocolate contains the chemical compound [[theobromine]] in levels that are toxic to some [[mammal]]s, carob contains none, and it also has no [[caffeine]], so it is sometimes used to make chocolate-like treats for dogs.<ref name="Craig1984">{{Cite journal |vauthors=Craig WJ, Nguyen TT |year=1984 |title=Caffeine and theobromine levels in cocoa and carob products |journal=[[Journal of Food Science]] |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=302–303, 305 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2621.1984.tb13737.x}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Burg |first=Barbara |title=Good Treats For Dogs Cookbook for Dogs: 50 Home-Cooked Treats for Special Occasions |date=2007 |publisher=Quarry Books |page=28 |name-list-style=vanc}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care |vauthors=Puotinen CJ |date=2000 |publisher=McGraw Hill Professional |page=81}}</ref>  Carob pod [[Flour|meal]] is also used as an energy-rich [[Livestock feed|feed for livestock]], particularly for [[ruminants]], though its high [[tannin]] content may limit this use.<ref name="feedipedia">{{Cite web |title=Carob (''Ceratonia siliqua'') |url=https://www.feedipedia.org/node/320 |publisher=Feedipedia.org. A programme by [[Institut national de la recherche agronomique|INRA]], [[CIRAD]], AFZ and [[FAO]]|date = October 3, 2013|access-date = October 3, 2013|archive-date = October 12, 2013|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131012143125/http://www.feedipedia.org/node/320|url-status = live |vauthors=Heuzé V, Sauvant D, Tran G, Lebas F, Lessire M}}</ref>

Carob pods were used as animal feed in the Mediterranean Basin.<ref name=":2" /> They were mainly used for [[animal fodder]] in the [[Maltese islands]], apart from times of famine or war, when they formed part of the diet of many [[Maltese people]]. On the [[Iberian Peninsula]], carob pods were historically fed to donkeys.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==== Composition ====
[[File:A bottle of Maltese carob liqueur with the north coast of Gozo Island in the background (Malta, April 2009).jpg|thumb|150px|right|[[Malta|Maltese]] carob [[liqueur]]]]

The [[Fruit pulp|pulp]] of a carob pod is about 48–56% [[sugars]] and 18% [[cellulose]] and [[hemicellulose]].<ref name="ipgri" /> Some differences in sugar ([[sucrose]]) content are seen between [[Wild plant|wild]] and [[Cultivated variety|cultivated]] carob trees: ~531&nbsp;g/kg dry weight in cultivated varieties and ~437&nbsp;g/kg in wild varieties. [[Fructose]] and [[glucose]] levels do not differ between cultivated and wild carob.<ref>{{Cite journal |vauthors=Biner B, Gubbuk H, Karhan M, Aksu M, Pekmezci M |date=January 2007 |title=Sugar profiles of the pods of cultivated and wild types of carob bean (Ceratonia siliqua L.) in Turkey |journal=Food Chemistry |volume=100 |issue=4 |pages=1453–1455 |doi=10.1016/j.foodchem.2005.11.037}}</ref> The [[embryo]] (20–25% of seed weight) is rich in proteins (50%). The testa, or [[seed coat]] (30–33% of seed weight), contains cellulose, [[lignin]]s, and [[tannin]]s.<ref name="Droste" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Calixto |first=Fulgancio S |date=5 May 1982 |title=Components of Nutritional Interest in Carob Pods (''Ceratonia siliqua'') |journal=J. Sci. Food Agric. |volume=33 |issue=12 |pages=1319–1423 |doi=10.1002/jsfa.2740331219|bibcode=1982JSFA...33.1319C }}</ref>

===Syrup and drinks===
Carob pods are about a third to a half [[sugar]] by weight, and this sugar can be extracted into a syrup.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=El Batal |first1=H. |last2=Hasib |first2=A. |last3=Ouatmane |first3=A. |last4=Dehbi |first4=F. |last5=Jaouad |first5=A. |last6=Boulli |first6=A. |date=2016-11-01 |title=Sugar composition and yield of syrup production from the pulp of Moroccan carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua L.) |journal=Arabian Journal of Chemistry |volume=9 |pages=–955–S959 |doi=10.1016/j.arabjc.2011.10.012 |issn=1878-5352 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In [[Malta]], a carob syrup (''ġulepp tal-ħarrub'') is made out of the pods. Carob syrup is also used in [[Crete]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dubrovskiy |first=V. |date=25 November 2019 |title=The carob tree – Crete's unique and useful product |url=https://thenewgreece.com/en/kitchen/the-carob-tree-cretes-unique-and-useful-product/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210726021316/https://thenewgreece.com/en/kitchen/the-carob-tree-cretes-unique-and-useful-product/ |archive-date=2021-07-26 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=The New Crete}}</ref> and [[Cyprus]] exports it.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Carob Syrup |url=https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/331-carob-syrup |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220923221450/https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/331-carob-syrup |archive-date=2022-09-23 |access-date=2022-09-23 |website=Visit Cyprus |author1=Christos }}</ref>

In [[Egypt]] and the [[Levant]], crushed carob pods are heated to caramelize their natural sugars, producing carob molasses. Water and brown sugar are then added to the mixture and boiled for a period of time. The resulting beverage, served cold and known as "kharrub" or "kharoub," is particularly popular during the month of [[Ramadan]]. This drink is widely sold by juice shops and street vendors and holds cultural significance in both the Levant and Egypt.<ref>[https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/ramadan-five-drinks-thirst-quenching-middle-east Ramadan: Five thirst-quenching drinks from across the Middle East], Nur Ayoubi, 4 April 2022, [[Middle East Eye]]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=El-Haddad |first1=Laila |last2=Schmitt |first2=Maggie |title=Carob Juice |url=https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/gaza70968c11s001ss004r005/carob-juice |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018075114/https://app.ckbk.com/recipe/gaza70968c11s001ss004r005/carob-juice |archive-date=18 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022 |website=The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Carob: Locust bean drink, kharroob |url=https://egyptian-cuisine-recipes.com/recipes/beverages/carob-locust-bean-drink-kharroob.html |website=Egyptian Cuisine Recipes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Palestinian Cuisine |url=https://imeu.org/article/palestinian-cuisine |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221018075108/https://imeu.org/article/palestinian-cuisine |archive-date=18 October 2022 |access-date=18 October 2022 |website=[[Institute for Middle East Understanding]] |language=en}}</ref>

In [[Lebanon]] the molasses is called ''debs el kharrub'' (literally: molasses of the carob), but people generally shorten it to ''debs''. The molasses has a sweet, chocolate-like flavor. It is commonly mixed with [[tahini]] (typically 75% kharrub molasses and 25% tahini). The resulting mixture is called ''debs bi tahini'' and is eaten raw or with bread. The molasses is also used in certain cakes.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 August 2009 |title=Tahini and Carob molasses |url=https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/tahini-and-carob-molasses/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124011039/https://www.tasteofbeirut.com/tahini-and-carob-molasses/ |archive-date=24 November 2022 |access-date=11 November 2022 |website=Taste of Beirut |language=en}}</ref> The region of [[Iqlim al-Kharrub]], which translates to the ''region of the carob'', produces a significant amount of carob.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In [[Cyprus]], the dried and milled carob pods are left to soak in water, before being transferred into special containers out of which the carob juice gradually seeps out of and is collected. The juice is then boiled with constant stirring yielding a thick syrup known as ''haroupomelo''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christos |title=Carob Syrup |url=https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/331-carob-syrup |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927224914/https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/331-carob-syrup |archive-date=2022-09-27 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.visitcyprus.com |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Gastronomy in Cyprus |url=https://publications.gov.cy/en/publications/2020/01/03/gastronomy-in-cyprus/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412150203/https://publications.gov.cy/en/publications/2020/01/03/gastronomy-in-cyprus/ |archive-date=2023-04-12 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=publications.gov.cy |language=en}}</ref> Although this syrup is frequently sold and eaten as is, ''haroupomelo'' is also used as a base for a local [[toffee]]-like sweet snack known as ''pasteli''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Christos |title=Pastelli (Carob Toffee) |url=https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/337-pastelli-carob-toffee |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412150159/https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/discovercyprus/gastronomy/local-produce/337-pastelli-carob-toffee |archive-date=2023-04-12 |access-date=2023-04-12 |website=www.visitcyprus.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> Constant stirring of the carob syrup causes it to form into a black, amorphous mass which is then left to cool. The mass is then kneaded, stretched and pulled until the fair, golden color and toffee-like texture of ''pasteli'' is obtained.<ref name=":1" />

Carob is used for [[compote]], [[liqueur]], and syrup in Turkey, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Sicily.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} In [[Libya]], carob syrup (called ''[[Rub (syrup)|rub]]'') is used as a complement to ''[[asida]]'' (made from wheat flour).{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} The so-called "carob syrup" made in [[Peru]] is actually from the fruit of the ''[[Prosopis nigra]]'' tree.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} Because of its strong taste, carob syrup is sometimes flavored with orange or chocolate.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}} In [[Yemen]], carob tree is playing a role in controlling diabetes mellitus according to Yemeni folk medicine, and diabetics consume carob pods as a juice to lower their blood sugar levels.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Qasem |first1=Mousa A. |last2=Noordin |first2=Mohamed Ibrahim |last3=Arya |first3=Aditya |last4=Alsalahi |first4=Abdulsamad |last5=Jayash |first5=Soher Nagi |date=2018-05-23 |title=Evaluation of the glycemic effect of Ceratonia siliqua pods (Carob) on a streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic rat model |journal=PeerJ |language=en |volume=6 |article-number=e4788 |doi=10.7717/peerj.4788 |issn=2167-8359 |pmc=5970558 |pmid=29844959 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Ornamental===
[[File:Carob tree.jpg|thumb|180px|Carob tree in [[Jerusalem]]]]
The carob tree is widely cultivated in the horticultural [[Plant nursery|nursery industry]] as an [[ornamental plant]] for [[Mediterranean climate]]s and other [[temperate regions]] around the world, being especially popular in California and [[Hawaii]]. The plant develops a sculpted trunk and the form of an ornamental tree after being "limbed up" as it matures, otherwise it is used as a dense and large [[Hedge|screening hedge]]. The plant is very [[drought tolerant]] as long as one does not care about the size of the fruit harvest, so can be used in [[Xeriscaping|xeriscape]] [[landscape design]] for [[garden]]s, parks, and public municipal and commercial landscapes.<ref name="grin">{{GRIN|access-date=11 December 2017}}</ref>

===Timber===
In some areas of Greece, [[viz.]] Crete, carob wood is often used as a [[firewood]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Batlle |first1=I. |title=Carob tree: Ceratonia siliqua L. |last2=Tous |first2=J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k6oNzrLiGLIC&pg=PA26 |publisher=[[Bioversity International#History|{{abbr|IPGRI|International Plant Genetic Resources Institute}}]] |year=1997 |isbn=978-929043328-6 |oclc=1198534064 |page=26}}</ref> As it makes such excellent fuel, it is sometimes even preferred over oak or olive wood.

Because the much fluted stem usually shows [[heart rot]], carob wood is rarely used for construction timber.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carob |url=https://www.woodmagazine.com/materials-guide/lumber/wood-species-1/carob |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=WOOD Magazine |language=en}}</ref> However, it is sometimes sought for ornamental work—particularly for furniture design, as the natural shape of the trunk is well-suited to the task. Additionally, the extremely wavy [[Wood grain|grain of the wood]] gives carob wood exceptional resistance to [[Splitting wood|splitting]];<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-22 |title=Carob Wood - Moroccan Woodworking |work=Moroccan Woodworking |url=https://moroccanwoodworking.com/carob/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |language=en-US}}</ref> thus, sections of Carob [[Trunk (botany)|bole]] are suitable for chopping blocks for splitting wood.{{Clear}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Blooming carob tree.jpg|Male flowers on a carob tree in Cyprus, which emanate a strong [[cadaverine]] odor
File:Ceratonia siliqua female flowers a-RJP.jpg|Close-up of female flower on the carob tree
File:Ceratonia siliqua green pods.jpg|Green carob fruit pods on tree, {{convert|15|cm|in|frac=2|abbr=on}} long
File:Funny fruits.jpg|Fruit of the carob tree
File:Carobs.JPG|Carob pods: green (unripe) and brown (ripe)
File:Carob tree leaf.JPG|Abaxial and adaxial surfaces of a leaflet from the carob tree
File:Ceratonia siliqua MHNT.BOT.2018.6.11.jpg|''Ceratonia siliqua'' wood – Museum specimen
File:Carob cauliflory.jpg| Carob pods growing from trunk ([[Cauliflory]])
</gallery>

== Notes ==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons and category}}
{{Wikispecies}}
{{EB1911 poster|Locust-Tree}}
* [https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/carob.html ''Carob'' in Fruits of Warm Climates: Julia F. Morton, 1987]
* [http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?query_src=photos_index&where-taxon=Ceratonia+siliqua U.C.CalPhotos: Carob —''Ceratonia siliqua'' — Photo Gallery]

{{Taxonbar|from=Q68763}}
{{Authority control}}

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