Ugly Fruit, Vegetables Now OK for European Consumption

by Sara Bonisteel, Posted Jul 2nd 2009 @ 1:30PM

Too curvy or just right? Photo: cyborgsuzy/flickr

After a 20-year ban, the European Commission is allowing the sale of less than perfect fruits and vegetables.

"July 1 marks the return to our shelves of the curved cucumber and the knobbly carrot," Mariann Fischer Boel, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, says. "More seriously, this is a concrete example of our drive to cut unnecessary red tape ... It makes no sense to throw perfectly good products away, just because they are the 'wrong' size and shape."

For years, the European Commission regulated the size and shape of fruits and vegetables sold on the continent.

The Commission has repealed standards for 26 items: apricots, artichokes, asparagus, eggplant, avocados, beans, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflowers, cherries, zucchini, cucumbers, cultivated mushrooms, garlic, hazelnuts in shell, headed cabbage, leeks, melons, onions, peas, plums, ribbed celery, spinach, walnuts in shell, watermelons and chicory.

Ten items, accounting for 75 percent of all fresh produce sold, will still be regulated for size and appearance. They are apples, citrus fruit, kiwi fruit, lettuces, peaches and nectarines, pears, strawberries, sweet peppers, table grapes and tomatoes. However, retailers can still sell blemished items from this category provided they label them "intended for processing."

Officials hope the new rules will cut down on waste.

"Producers and suppliers won't be stuck with as many leftovers, so there'll be less food waste," Jim Fitzpatrick, Britain's Food and Farming Minister, told the Telegraph newspaper.

Do you eat less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables?
Yes	1809 (94.5%)
No	106 (5.5%)

Filed Under: Food News
Tags: european commission, european union, EuropeanCommission, EuropeanUnion, imperfection, ugly fruit, UglyFruit, wonky fruit, WonkyFruit

Chew on This

Royal Wedding Cake Details Revealed! - YumSugar

Make Your Own Pop Tarts - CHOW
Denny's Introduces a Maple Bacon Sundae - Eater
Whole Foods Opening Bars in Stores - USA Today
Rules Of Bar Etiquette -- For The Bartender - HuffPost Food

Reader comments (Page 2 of 2)

7-04-2009 @11:41AM Miccah said... are you kidding me? this must be a joke...

I lived in Europe for 1.5 years, I don't recall thinking "my, what perfect produce we have".

Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @11:42AM J Beals said... I think this means that produce that was acceptable only for processing (sauces, relishes,etc) is now going to be available on the shelves sold fresh.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @11:44AM Miccah said... watermelon2... is it possible there was a concern that your tools would short using a transformer for a power tool?

seems more likely to me
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @11:48AM LLoon77 said... Less than perfect veggies?? Haha You should see some of the things that come from my garden! Not only are they just as good despite the way they look but great entertainment as well.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @12:27PM deRuiter said... This is big government intervention at it's finest. Without the government to mandate the selling of "only" perfect vegetables, Europeans could have been eating cheaper and just as good for the past 20 years. Smaller Government = fewer stupid regulations = lower cost for consumers. I'd love to have the New York State Assembly continue gridlock forever. The clowns in Albany can not pass any more stupid, anti business regulations while they play games at the State House, I hope they NEVER decide who's in charge, and continue bickering, instead of passing stupid laws, forever. .
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @12:31PM joel rambaud said... The US has the very same system in place , as a matter of fact it was copyied from the US , ever wonder why your carrots in your supermarket are all the same , so are tomatoes and so on ...........
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @1:07PM fknhippie said... now why is it that Europeans felt no guilt over wasting food for cosmetic reasons when there are starving children around the world that would die to have any kind of fruit or vegetable yet they call us Americans selfish and arrogant. Throwing away perfectly good food because its not perfect is pretty damn arrogant if you ask me.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @1:04PM jimbarry1946 said... I go out of my way to buy ugly. These items have the same taste and nutrition and are usually cheaper. If there's a bad spot, cut it out. You still save.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @1:30PM Anton said... Not just fruit and veggies, but think about how many restaurants throw out good food that homeless and hingry people could eat. I worked as a chef at our local country club and yes we would reuse what we could for food cost but our dumpster was filled every day with edible food that someone would eat. That is one place in one small town, times that by every city, town and any place that serves food and we could feed the world.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @1:21PM Bob said... Don't government officials have more important issues than ugly food? Such waste when so many people go without. Ridiculous.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @1:26PM Joe Papierz Jr said... People are so intent in being hyper critical and insulting they don't even bother to read the article before posting their criticisms. The European Union ENDED their ban on misshapen fruit and vegetibles. ENDED the ban you stupid jerks.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @3:03PM Dawn said... Even the most beautiful apple can have a bad spot inside. It doesn't always spoil from the outside in.
Reply

Vote upVote downReport

7-04-2009 @9:48PM Bean Bacon Broils Recipe said... Here is one recipe that i wish you can try because its very delicious "Bean Bacon Broils Recipe" full recipe at http://FoodRecipesMadeEasy.blogspot.com
Reply