“Ugly” produce is a holiday bargain
If you have a garden, like many Echo readers do, you know it’s no big deal to consume fruit or vegetables that are cosmetically imperfect.
They taste fine. Plus, their odd shapes are conversation pieces. They’re reminders of what produce might look like if left to its own devices.
But at the grocery store, “ugly” tomatoes, apples, potatoes and everything else that isn’t uniform doesn’t cut it. We’ve grown accustomed and conditioned to everything there being unblemished and pretty much indistinguishable from whatever’s beside it.
Unfortunately, this preference for perfection is a leading cause of food waste. And a new comprehensive report on the status of the problem is urging retailers to do something about it.
The report, from Ontario-based Value Chain Management International, wants wary consumers to be educated about the many qualities of imperfect produce.
Its authors say retailers should “communicate and promote to consumers the economic and environmental benefits of purchasing imperfect fruits and vegetables, including how seemingly imperfect fresh produce can possess better internal qualities and provide a better eating experience.”
That means retailers should let customers know that imperfect produce is just as safe as its more attractive counterparts, and that it can be a tastier and cheaper alternative.
Indeed, a wonky-looking tomato, like an ugly Christmas sweater, won’t win a beauty contest.
But on the flip side, “ugly” tomatoes left to mature and ripen could be juicier and more flavourful than their immature kin that look and taste like they came off an assembly line (even though they didn’t).
This is sound advice as the holiday season approaches and we’re busy preparing for family meals. With food costs through the roof, any reasonable measure to stay within a budget is worth considering.
Despite the imperfect produce situation though, overall food waste in Canada has dropped by nearly 20 per cent in the past five years.
The report says many larger commercial operations have appointed an environmental, social and governance person or group that can understand and verify food waste. And a few companies have sprung up that specialize in direct sales of imperfect produce to consumers.
Despite these gains, though, the job’s far from done. Food waste figures are still dramatic. The report estimates the total value of avoidable food waste – that is, edible food fit for human consumption that is discarded – is $50 billion.
Climate change is said to be driving increased food waste along the food value chain. In particular, the report notes how wild swings in weather is affecting crops, resulting in more imperfect produce that doesn’t meet customers’ exacting specifications.
Retailers and suppliers are frustrated. The report says they have neither the demand nor the processing and storage capacity required to accept more crops of this type, even though they are perfectly edible.
But unless they can convince consumers that perfection is unnecessary, retailers are stuck. So are farmers, with few places to sell it. And so are we, paying more for food that could cost less.
Owen Roberts is an agricultural journalist from Guelph and a communications instructor at the University of Illinois. He regularly visits family in Creemore.
