The bitter orange, like many cultivated Citrus species, is a hybrid, in its case of the wild mandarin and pomelo.

[6][7] The bitter orange spread from Southeast Asia via India and Iran to the Islamic world as early as 700 AD in the Arab Agricultural Revolution.

[15] This reflects the historic Atlantic trading relationship with Portugal and Spain; an early recipe for 'marmelet of oranges' was recorded by Eliza Cholmondeley in 1677.

[18][19] In Finland, mämmi is a fermented malted rye dough flavoured with ground Seville orange zest.

[20] Across Scandinavia, bitter orange peel is used in dried, ground form in baked goods such as Christmas bread[21] and gingerbread.

[24] Bitter oranges are made into chutneys in India, either in the style of a raita with curds, or roasted, spiced, and sweetened to form a condiment that can be preserved in jars.

[10] An oil is pressed from the fresh peel of ripe fruit in many countries and used in ice creams, puddings, sweets, soft and alcoholic drinks, and pharmaceuticals.

[10] Extracts of bitter orange and its peel have been marketed as dietary supplements purported to act as a weight-loss aid and appetite suppressant.

[38] Case reports have linked bitter orange supplements to strokes,[39][40] angina,[34] ischemic colitis,[41] and myocardial infarction.

[42] The U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health found "little evidence that bitter orange is safer to use than ephedra.