The bael fruit has a smooth shell with a green gray or yellow peel. The shell is so hard it must be cracked with a hammer or machete. The fibrous yellow pulp is very aromatic. it has been described as tasting of marmalade and smelling of roses. Boning in dicates that the flavor is sweet aromatic and pleasant. The fruit is to be dried. if the fruit is to be dried it is usually sliced and sun-dried. The hard leathery slices are them immersed in water. Research has found the essential oil of the tree to be effective against 21 types of bacteria.