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The Carrot Today
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HOT NEWS - The World Carrot Museum has the
honour of having an article published in the renowned academic journal Chronica
Horticulturae. Co-authored with Jules Janick the James Troop Distinguished
Professor in Horticulture, Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture,
Purdue University. The item is called Carrot History and
Iconography a fascinating journey through the Carrot's development from Wild
to Orange and beyond. Full copy here (page
13 onwards). Extract here. The Carrot is the second most popular vegetable in the world after the potato. When you read the nutrition pages you will see and agree why it should be number one. The health benefits of carrots are well established and cover a wide range in human health conditions. In general, carrots are important for healthy eyes, skin, hair, growth, and immune systems. They can lower cholesterol, prevent heart attacks, and reduce the risk of certain types of cancers. Carrots are packed with nutrients. Carrot plant is cultivated across the world for its prized taproot. The plant is biennial and bears flowers during second year of life. However, in general, the whole plant is harvested prematurely when the root reaches about an inch in diameter, tender and juicy. Carrots vary widely in colour and shape depending on the cultivar types. Generally, oriental taproots are long, flat upper ends with tapering, tail like, lower ends. They are winter season crops in many parts of Asia. European carrots, on the other hand, have more rounded ends with almost cylindrical body. In addition, European-variety feature bright orange colour in contrast to saffron coloured Asian cultivars.
In fact in England the carrot is Number One according to a survey carried out by the National Trust in 2002. Overall, 17% of the 2,031 people in the survey opted for the carrot. It came ahead of the potato (15%) and broccoli (13%) in a battle of the vegetable patch. Least favourites by those questioned were Brussels Sprouts, Parsnip, Swede and Turnip. Different Typologies - The current World production is around 25 million tonnes for an area of about one million hectares. The main producers are China (1/3 of the world area), followed by Russia and North America. Today there are several hundred varieties in very typologies. (classification according to characteristics) The Nantes type is the most widely cultivated in the world (about 50% of volume); it has been adopted by markets demanding optimum quality roots, and its cultivation is increasing on the five continents. Chantenay are popular in South America, Flakee in Eastern Europe and Kurodo mainly produced in Asia. Imperator and longer carrot types are preferred in North America. (Source for facts and graphic - Vilmorin)
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Some modern varieties from Nunhems |
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| Indigo | Sunlite | Creme de lite | Inca |
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| Navajo | Sirkana | Top cut | Black Knight |
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Orange coloured carrots are the most popular but the
vegetable is also
commonly available
in White, Yellow, Red and Maroon varieties. The Maroon/purple coloured varieties are making a
big comeback in English stores.
Read
more here. Carrot colours pages
start here. Commercial Carrot Processing - the ultimate aim is to achieve a final product which fits the market standards. Most large commercial carrot producers have a highly sophisticated sorting system completed by machines and men/women! At the point of delivery from the fields the biggest rocks and waste are eliminated. (Numbers refer to photo below) 1. At all points in the process every attempt is made to avoid shocks to the roots which could cause damage to their appearance, stability and potential storage length. High falls between the chain of events are minimised to limit breakage. 2. Brushing is done by polishers to bring out the colours and the smoothness of the roots which do not show any more traces of dirt. 3. Hydrocooling is the decisive step. Roots are cooled down to the core in a few minutes. 4. Manual sorting is still necessary to enable the human eye to spot items which are split, spotted, broken, forked, rotten or sprouted. 5. Grading is an essential step and has become progressively more mechanised. Grading machines facilitate packaging of identical diameter roots. 6. Packaging is the final step before the carrots travel to market. Again more mechanised. The producers chance to include a marketing message to promote the products advantages, or to identify the respect of a protocol or seal of approval. Important Note: A significant proportion of carrots are rejected during the washing and packing processes because of stringent quality requirements of supermarkets. For example the British Carrot Growers Association estimates that around 40% of carrot production is wasted between harvest and production, which makes it worthy of new research which is currently being undertaken by the Horticultural Development company, in the UK. See Grimmway's massive carrot harvester in action here. (Youtube video)
How a typical carrot is processed to maximise use for human consumption If you were to divide up a typical 8 and ½ inch carrot it would typically be processed in such a manner that only about the very top half inch goes to animal feed. This is at the crown end. The point end quarter of the remaining carrot goes to making those tiny, baby carrots. The central portions are processed either to make “standard” cut or peel baby carrots or sent for juice making. The thickest part goes off to be processed into juice concentrate to be further sliced or diced into fresh pre-packs.
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Part of the Carrot Museum 2008 crop (note very rare Spanish Black variety) |
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Botanical Description - The Carrot is an erect (30–120 cm high) annual or
biennial herb of the UMBELLIFERAE family with branched stem arising from a
large, succulent, thick, fleshy 5–30 cm long tap root. The colour of the root in
the cultivated varieties ranges from white, yellow, orange, light purple, or
deep red to deep violet and black.
The shape varies from short stumps to tapering cones. Leaves are finely dissected, twice or thrice-pinnate, segments are linear to lanceolate, 0.5–3 cm long. Upper leaves are reduced, with a sheathing petiole. Stem is striate or ridged, glabrous to hispid, up to 1 m tall. Flowers are borne in compound, more or less globose, to 7-cmin- diameter umbels. Rays are numerous, bracts 1–2 pinnated, lobes linear, 7–10 bracteoles similar to bracts. Flowers are white or yellowish; the outer are usually the largest. Sepals are minute or absent, there are five petals and stamens, ovary inferior with two cells and one ovule per cell, two styles. Fruits are oblong, with bristly hairs along ribs, 2–4 mm long. The carrot is a member of the parsley family which includes about 2,500 species such as dill, caraway, cumin, chervil, coriander, fennel, anise, parsley, parsnip, and celery. It also includes poisonous species such a poison hemlock, water hemlock and fools parsley. The family includes ornamentals such as sea holly, masterwort and blue lace flower. The cultivated carrot belongs to the genus Daucus L. which contains many wild forms. The carrot plant is indigenous to the maritime chalky soils of southern Europe but has spread widely, partly through reversion from cultivated plants. It still prefers the sea coast climate but is strong enough to be found almost anywhere. Traditional Medicinal Uses for Carrot and its seeds around the world (pdf).
See breakdown of European Statistics here. See USDA statistics for World Production 1961-2007 here (excel chart) Common names for Carrot from most countries around the world (pdf)
China
is Carrot production King of the World , the US ranks among the other top
nations in the production of carrots: fourth in acreage and volume, third
in terms of yield (31.7 tons/ha). Russia, Japan, France and the United Kingdom
are also leading producers. World wide 13.37 million tons were produced in
1990, a 30% increase over the past decade.
Carrots are ninth (out of twenty eight) among vegetable crops in the US.
Average value of commercial crop is about $70,500,000 per year based on
fresh-market and processed carrots, accounting for about 875,000 tons of
carrots. (1979 figures) World production of carrots in the mid-1990s exceeded 14 million metric tons annually. In Europe the UK has the highest production with 750,000 tons per year. Next come France (568k), Netherlands (476k) and Italy (407k) others large producers include Poland and Germany. Poland has an important place in European production of vegetables. In production of cabbage and carrot they have first place in Europe and as much as 20% of the total vegetable production of Europe consists of cabbage and about 18% of carrots produced in Poland. Comparing to the total world production of vegetables the share of polish cabbage amounts about 5% and that of carrots slightly above 5%. Read more here.
Australia - Carrots are also grown on a large scale in Australia. In
1999, 267,000 tonnes of carrots were produced from about 7,500 hectares. Click
here to see the Australia page. There is also an Australian Carrot,
which is native. Tasmania also has a healthy organic carrot industry, its website is here
USA -
Carrot Profile here. Canada (Vancouver) - Min of agriculture - here. UK - British Carrot Growers Association - UK grows approx 700,000 tons of carrots per year and is self sufficient for 11 months of the year. The main variety grown are Nantes variants, often bolero, Laguna and Nairobi. New Zealand here. India - More about carrot production in India here. Africa - Carrot is a popular vegetable with high vitamin A content, grown in East Africa mostly in the cooler highlands. The roots are consumed raw or cooked, alone or in combination with other vegetables (for example, peas), as an ingredient of soups, sauces and in dietary compositions. Young leaves are sometimes eaten raw or used as fodder. Carrots are an important source of vitamin A in African diets. More here. Traditional Medicinal Uses for Carrot and its seeds around the world (pdf). |
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World Map of main growing areas |
Main Shapes |
UK map Growing areas |
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Types of Carrots - there are two distinct categories of carrot in the modern world, the Cultivated
Carrot (domesticated), which is detailed below, and the Wild Carrot which now has its own
page. Click here to go there.
Daucus is a worldwide genus of herbaceous plants of the family Apiaceae of which the best-known species is the cultivated carrot. Daucus genus of Umbelliferae Apiaceae, has about 25 species.
The cultivated carrot, hybridised from the wild
carrot, can be either an annual (mainly in tropical areas) or a biennial (mainly
in temperate areas). It is an
erect herb of 20-50 cm tall when mature, and 120-150 cm when flowering. The
taproot is fleshy, straight, conical to cylindrical, 5-50 cm long and 2-5 cm in
diameter at the top, and usually orange (other colours include: purple, yellow,
or white). Daucus Carota is a complex species, botanically comprising both wild
and cultivated carrots.
All information within these pages refers to Daucus carota sativus, some of the varieties of which are described below. Other members of the carrot family include: Chervil, Celery. Celeriac, Arracacha, Fennel, Parsnip and Parsley. The arracacha (also know as Peruvian carrot) ( Arracacia xanthorriza ) is a garden root vegetable originally from the Andes, somewhat intermediate between the carrot and celery and related to them. Its starchy taproot is a popular food item in South America, especially in Brazil where it is a major commercial crop. The name arracacha (or racacha ) was borrowed into Spanish from Quechua, and is used in the Andean region. The plant is also called apio criollo (" Creole celery") in Venezuela, zanahoria blanca ("white carrot") in Ecuador, virraca in Peru, and mandioquinha ("little cassava") or batata-baroa in Brazil. It is sometimes called white carrot in English, but that name properly belongs to white varieties of the common carrot. The leaves are similar to parsley, and vary from dark green to purple. The roots resemble fat short carrots, with lustrous off-white skin. The interior may be white, yellow, or purple. Read more here. (opens in new window, pdf).
Carrots belong to the family Apiaceae which is characterised by having dissected
leaves, umbellate inflorescences, and fruits that are schizocarps (which
split into two mericarps).
Several hundred varieties of carrot exist with
well over 50 different seeds generally available. The orange colour is due to a very high level of the yellow-orange plant
pigment known (reasonably enough) as carotene. Although almost all plants
contain this yellow pigment, the more conspicuous chlorophyll pigment (green)
usually obscures it from view. When chlorophyll breaks down in autumn, or
when a plant is suffering from poor nutrition, the underlying yellow carotene
pigments of leaves become obvious.
“White blush” has remained a problem for processors and shippers of fresh-cut carrots. The superficial whiteness is caused by dehydration of the cut surface (Cisneros-Zevallos et al., 1995). Low storage temperature and the presence of residual surface moisture significantly delays development of this disorder. Using sharp knives is important to reduce tissue damage and extend shelf-life (Barry-Ryan and O’Beirne, 1998). There are two main types of cultivated carrots:
1. Eastern/Asiatic carrots - These are often
called anthocyanin carrots because of their purple roots, although some have
yellow roots. They have pubescent leaves giving them a grey-green colour
and bolt easily. They have slightly dissected leaves, with branched roots
and are an annual plant. The greatest diversity of these carrots is found
in Afghanistan, Russia, Iran and India. These are the possible centres of
domestication which took place around the 10th century. These types of carrot
are still under cultivation in Asia, but are being rapidly replaced by orange
rooted Western varieties.
2. Western or Carotene Carrots - These have
orange, red or white roots. It is most likely these carrots derived from
the first group by selection among hybrid progenies of yellow Eastern carrots,
white carrots and wild subspecies grown in the Mediterranean. the first two
originated by mutation. These have strongly dissected leaves, the roots are
un-branched and they have a bright green, sparsely hairy foliage and are biennial.
These carrots may have originated in Turkey.
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Here are some samples |
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Japanese imperial long Thin, 9-12 inch roots have exceptionally fine flavour. Noted for extreme length. Dark orange, close to red at times. |
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Little Finger
A baby gourmet carrot that is tender and sweet. A Nantes-type carrot that was developed in France for canning and pickling. |
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Nantes Coreless Almost coreless cylindrical carrot with a brilliant orange colour even through the soft core. An excellent juicer and fine freezer type. |
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Red Core Chantenay The best tasting carrot. It is a versatile, good winter keeper, in the cellar or the ground, that is tasty raw or cooked. Becomes sweeter in storage. |
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Scarlet Nantes A sweet juicer, this bright red-orange, finely-flavoured carrot contains the highest number of amino acids found in nutritional research. |
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Organic St Valery Vilmorin's 1856 edition of The Vegetable Garden refers to this French heirloom as, "A large handsome variety, with great productiveness, and at the same time a fine, regular shape, and thick, sweet, tender flesh." |
See more photos of common varieties supplied by Thompson and Morgan the leading seed suppliers in the US and UK. Click here.
BUY YOUR SEEDS HERE:
Many types of carrots are available, varying according to the area and climate, and every year new varieties are brought out on the market by the multi-national seed companies. These companies try to find the perfect carrot for every market and climate. Golf ball-type carrots (Thumbelina) and the slightly longer Chantenays are good for containers and heavy soils. Short carrots also mature faster, shaving two weeks off the time it takes to put them on the table. Nantes, Imperator and Danvers (and Danvers Half Long) grow up to 7 inches long and are suitable for most other soils. If colour is an issue, Danvers Half Long and Royal Chantenay are bright orange, while Scarlet Nantes and Blaze (an Imperator) are deep orange, almost red. Believe it or not - There is a carrot variety for every letter of the alphabet and just to prove it click here to see the full list.
The maroon Carrot has been re-discovered by Dr L Pike from Texas. |
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Carrots used to be better! - Vegetables grown decades ago were much
richer in vitamins and minerals than the varieties most of us get today.
The main culprit in this disturbing nutritional trend is soil depletion:
Modern intensive agricultural methods have stripped increasing amounts of
nutrients from the soil in which the food we eat grows. Sadly, each
successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant carrot is truly less
good for you than the one before. A landmark study on the topic by Donald Davis and his team of
researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Department of
Chemistry and Biochemistry was published in December 2004 in the Journal
of the American College of Nutrition. They studied U.S. Department of
Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different
vegetables and fruits, finding “reliable declines” in the amount of
protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C
over the past half century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this
declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural
practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance)
other than nutrition. The Organic Consumers Association cites several other studies with
similar findings: A Kushi Institute analysis of nutrient data from 1975 to
1997 found that average calcium levels in 12 fresh vegetables dropped 27
percent; iron levels 37 percent; vitamin A levels 21 percent, and vitamin
C levels 30 percent. A similar study of British nutrient data from 1930 to
1980, published in the British Food Journal, found that in 20 vegetables
the average calcium content had declined 19 percent; iron 22 percent; and
potassium 14 percent. The key to healthier produce is healthier soil. Alternating fields
between growing seasons to give land time to restore would be one
important step. Also, foregoing pesticides and fertilizers in favour of
organic growing methods is good for the soil, the produce and its
consumers. Those who want to get the most nutritious fruits and vegetables
should buy regularly from local organic farmers. Vegetables aren’t as healthy as they used to be doesn’t mean we should
avoid them. Vegetables are still extraordinarily rich in nutrients and
beneficial phytochemicals and vegetables and fruit are our best sources
for these.
KIDS!! Follow the
rainbow to good health and see what nutrients are contained in various colours
of common fruit and vegetables -
here.
In the British Isles the only carrot species to grow in the wild is the
sea carrot (Daucus Carota Gummifera).
It is very similar to Wild Carrot, but Sea Carrot has stouter, more
succulent stems, darker green leaves, the fruiting-umbels are more
saucer-like in shape and it is confined to the coast. This hairy plant has thick set stems and flat compact umbels with a
lilac tint.
John's visits to carrot producers/packers and growers profiles:
Potts Master Bakers - John had the privilege of having a personal guided tour of the leading baker
of organic carrot cake, supplied to major supermarkets in the UK. It is,
naturally, based in Yorkshire! Not only does it supply the trade, but also
larger shops, restaurants and hotels. Quite an operation!
Huntapac -
John also took a personal guided tour of Huntapac one of
the leading carrot packers in England and suppliers to the major supermarkets in the UK.
Metcalfe Organic supplies a wide ranging market
including the NHS 5 a Day Scheme, Morrison's supermarkets,
local boxed vegetable schemes, whole foods stores and food processing plants
around the region.
Poskitts, one of the leading supermarket suppliers.
Cooks carrots in Lancashire supply many wholesale market, processing plants and
local shops with their top quality produce - .
Another well respected carrot grower in Britain is
P Caunce
& Son at Brow Farm. at Brow Farm (yet to be visited!).
Organic Carrots in Scotland - Bare Necessities - Organic vegetables fresh and
tasty - BNFOODS contain the only good things in life! -
Bare Necessities Scottish Organic Carrots
Events
The Carrot Museum Road Show has had exhibitions at the Royal
Horticultural Society, Harlow Carr Gardens for the past two years. Visit the
dedicated pages here.
Talks to schools, local societies and institutions are given on a regular
basis, please e-mail the Museum if you would like a show or talk about carrots. The Future - A Rainbow Carrot? How do you get people to eat more carrots? You excite their senses. Surprise
them, say, with unexpected colour and explosive flavour. It’s a worthwhile tack
to take, says Philipp Simon, plant geneticist at the Vegetable Crops Research
Unit in Madison, Wisconsin. He should know. Simon, who heads the ARS laboratory
on the University of Wisconsin campus, helped elevate the humble carrot to its
current prestigious position. Thanks to work he did with colleagues more than 25
years ago, the carrot is now an even better source of dietary vitamin A. Using classical breeding methods, they helped boost the veggie’s already
abundant stores of beta-carotene by 75 percent. Beta-carotene is what our bodies
use to make all-important vitamin A, which is crucial for good eye health and a
strong immune system. It’s also responsible for the carrot’s orange hue. Simon would like to sneak in other nutrients too. That’s why, several years
ago, he got to wondering: Why settle for just orange? After all, 700 years ago
Western Europeans were feasting on carrots that ranged in colour from
lemon-yellow to burgundy to purple. We can have the same variety today—and the
healthful antioxidants associated with those brightly coloured pigments. In addition to breeding yellow, red, deep-orange, purple, and even white
carrots, Simon aims to create a “rainbow” carrot - a multi-pigmented root
that naturally contains several antioxidants, such as lycopene, lutein, and
anthocyanin. Fuel for Cars? Scientists now believe that bio fuels will be the answer to our energy
needs when the oil runs out. One such fuel, perhaps within 10 years, will be
carrots - it would take approximately 6000 carrots to drive one mile.
Scientists unveil New 'super carrot'
(from the BBC, Spring 2008)
The new carrot could ward off osteoporosis
Scientists in the US say they have created a genetically-engineered carrot that provides extra calcium.
They hope that adding the vegetable to a normal diet could help ward off conditions such as brittle bone disease and osteoporosis.
Someone eating the new carrot absorbs 41% more calcium than if they ate the old, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences study suggests.
The calcium-charged vegetable still needs to go through many safety trials.
"These carrots were grown in carefully monitored and controlled environments," said Professor Kendal Hirschi, part of the team at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas.
Much more research needs to be conducted before this would be available to consumers
Professor Kendal Hirschi
Baylor College of Medicine
"Much more research needs to be conducted before this would be available to consumers."
But the scientists nonetheless hope their carrot could ultimately offer a healthier way of consuming sufficient quantities of the mineral.
Dairy foods are the primary dietary source of calcium but some are allergic to these while others are told to avoid consuming too much due to their high fat content.
A gene has been altered in the carrot which allows the calcium within it to cross more easily over the plant membranes.
On its own, the carrot would not meet the daily requirement of 1,000mg of calcium, but if other vegetables were similarly engineered, intake could be increased dramatically.
It is not the first time the carrot has been tampered with.
The orange colour we know is the result of Dutch cultivation in the 17th Century, when patriotic growers turned a vegetable which was then purple into the colour of the national flag.
Nor is it the first vegetable to receive a healthy make-over.
Genetic engineering is being used to develop potatoes with more starch and less water so that they absorb less oil when fried, producing healthier chips or crisps.
Work is also being carried out on broccoli so that it contains more sulforaphane, a chemical which may help people ward off cancer.
Professor Susan Fairweather-Tait of the University of East Anglia said genetically engineering foods to increase their nutrient content was becoming an increasingly important avenue.
"People are being told to eat more modestly to prevent weight gain, and many diets now no longer contain everything we need.
"There has been great resistance to genetic engineering, but gradually we are moving away from the spectre of 'Frankenstein food' and starting to appreciate the health benefits it may bring."
Great news! Also!! Researchers have created a new genetically engineered carrot that has 41
percent more calcium than the regular carrot, reports a study in the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences.
Standard Carrots - “This marks a new dawn for the curvy cucumber and
the knobbly carrot,”
European Union bureaucrats are to usher in a new age of acceptance when it comes
to knobbly fruit and vegetables, scrapping the rules dictating that only
"standard" size carrots can be sold in shops.
The cream-coloured carrot is making a comeback
As your browse the vegetable racks in your local store, you could easily mistake
them for parsnips. But after four centuries of orange varieties, a cream carrot
is to appear in British shops. The new-look version is said to be crisp and
crunchy in texture and sweeter in taste than its orange cousin.
A bunch of Creme de Lite, cream-coloured carrots, which will be stocked
The orange variety was developed by Dutch growers aiming to produce a less
bitter version and was adopted by the royal family in the Netherlands, where
orange is the national colour.
However, the new Creme de Lite variety is said to have been specially produced
to lack any of the bitterness of the original. It is grown by farmer Steven Jack
in the Moray Firth. It can be cooked or eaten raw, just like the orange version
of the vegetable.
Marks & Spencer agronomist Dr Simon Coupe said: 'This speciality organic cream
carrot is already prized in Europe and America for its crisp and crunchy
texture, and is especially good in salads or cooked the same way you would a
classic orange carrot.' Previous attempts to revitalise the huge carrot market
have been unsuccessful. Sales of purple carrots dropped shortly after they were
introduced when customers discovered the colour seeped out of the vegetable and
into the cooking water.
Researchers tap into carrots for colour and health -
read more Purple carrots are now propositioned as the next
superfood. The findings of the recent Australian study revealed the
ancient carrot to be packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory goodness -
up to 28 times more anthocyanins, which are antioxidants that are responsible
for the purple-red pigment in raspberries and blueberries, than there are in
orange carrots. Lindsay Brown, professor of Biomedical Sciences at the
University of Southern Queensland who is also the study author said the purple
carrots are the original carrots from the ancient Persia. Purple carrots are one
of the wide variety of fruit and vegetables that are almost lost in the era of
single supermarket varieties, just like other ancient tomato varieties. While claims have previously been made about its health
benefits, there were no tests to back up them, not until just recently.
Conducting rat studies using purple carrots grown in Queensland, the rats were
given high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet for 16 weeks to mirror the effects of
unhealthy Western diet. The rats soon developed high blood pressure, became fatter
and glucose-intolerant - or prediabetic - and suffered heart and liver damage.
Subsequently, in the second eight weeks, purple carrot juice were added into the
rats' diet. The results were a surprise to the scientists, and will be
published in the British Journal of Nutrition. Prof Brown said miraculously
everything went back to normal. "The blood pressure went down, the collagen in
the heart was back to normal, the liver histology was back to normal, the liver
enzymes, the glucose tolerance, the fat pads were all back to normal, despite
continuing this ... terrible diet," she explained. Purple carrots should be eaten coupled with a moderate diet
and exercise, advised Prof Brown. A Carrot Racing Car
read more here
$25m campaign to Get Kids to Eat Carrots by branding
them like junk food - According to USA Today, a group of producers will unveil a
sophisticated media campaign designed to drive a wedge between the munching
public and our snack foods, a wedge in the shape of a carrot. This campaign will
include repackaging carrots for school vending machines in bags that resemble
Doritos (both orange, little-finger size, crunchy, so consumers probably won't
even notice the difference, right?)
The Sea Carrot only grows in the southern counties of England, usually near
the sea, where it may be locally abundant. It flowers from May to September and grows to a height of 30
centimetres.
Hopefully, there will be inexpensive retrofits for older cars to convert to alternative fuels. It could cause a whole new problem if used cars
started filling up junk yards because everyone decided to buy carrot fuelled
cars. It would be much better to make car donations so someone
in need could use it.
Altering a gene boosts levels of transporter proteins, which pump calcium from
the soil into the plant. This kind of technology could help combat conditions
like osteoporosis. The carrots may become available within three to five years
(from 2008) .
Read
more here
Misshapen and blemished fruit and vegetables are likely to find their way back on to
supermarket shelves – although they may be labelled "for cooking" under reforms
being proposed by the EU's Danish Agriculture and Rural Development commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel.
" We want to have two classes, allowing supermarkets to sell funny shaped
vegetables," said Michael Mann, a spokesman for the European Commission.
Ms Fischer Boel wants to abandon the eccentric rules that brought scorn on the
EU and led to criticism that perfectly formed harvests had been achieved at the
expense of taste. The rules specify the diameter of carrots that can be
sold as class one, unless they are officially regarded as baby carrots.
The Commission will now formally adopt the changes which, for practical reasons,
will be implemented from 1 July 2009.
This rule will be scrapped:
"Carrots - Carrots less than 1.9cm in diameter at the thick end could not be
sold as class one, unless marketed as "baby" varieties."
by Marks & Spencer shops from next week. Marks & Spencer is to stock the
carrots, which are organically produced in Scotland. Carrots were originally
white, cream and purple, and only became orange coloured through cross-breeding
400 years ago, the store's vegetable expert said.
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See full article here.
Baby Carrot Com - The
flash website is here. Carrots boost brain health A plant compound found in carrots, peppers, celery, olive oil, peppermint, rosemary and chamomile helps reduce age-related inflammation in the brain and memory deficits, according to a new study conducted in mice. The compound luteolin reduces age-related inflammation in the brain and related memory deficits by directly inhibiting the release of inflammatory molecules in the brain, researchers report. Read full report here Food Waste - In industrialised countries, reducing food waste will require raising public awareness and changing consumer attitudes. On Carrot farms, photographic sensors scan all harvested carrots and reject those that are crooked, dull, blemished, too thin or too fat. As a result, 25 to 30 percent of carrots end up as animal feed even though they pose no health risk to humans. Many other fruit and vegetables are also set aside because supermarket managers believe consumers will not buy them for aesthetic reasons. In the US a typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles to reach your dinner table! (Source: Pirog, Rich, and Andrew Benjamin. "Checking the Food Odometer: Comparing Food Miles for Local Versus Conventional Produce Sales in Iowa Institutions." Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, July 2003. Here Organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally do not have higher levels of healthful antioxidants and related substances than vegetables grown with traditional fertilizers and pesticides, scientists have reported. In the study, Pia Knuthsen and colleagues point out that there are many reasons to pay a premium for organic food products. The most important reasons for the popularity of organic food products include improved animal welfare, environmental protection, better taste, and possible health benefits. However, the health benefits of organic food consumption are still controversial and not considered scientifically well documented. The scientists describe experiments in which they analyzed antioxidants termed 'polyphenols' from onions, carrots and potatoes grown using conventional and organic methods. They found no differences in polyphenol content for organic vs. traditional methods of growth. "On the basis of the present study carried out under well controlled conditions, it cannot be concluded that organically grown onions, carrots, and potatoes generally have higher contents of health-promoting secondary metabolites in comparison with the conventionally cultivated ones," the report stated. Their study has been published in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
‘Carota Novella di Ispica’ PGI (protected geographical indication) is the product obtained by growing species Daucus carota L. (the cultivated carrot). The varieties used are based on the Nantes half-long carrot variety and appropriate hybrids such as Exelso, Dordogne, Nancò, Concerto, Romance, Naval, Chambor, Selene. Other hybrids may be used provided that they belong to the Nantes half-long variety and provided that the producers have proven through tests that they comply with the quality parameters for ‘Carota Novella di Ispica’. The use of new hybrids to produce ‘Carota Novella di Ispica’ is permitted subject to favourable evaluation of the tests by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies which may request for that purpose the technical opinion of the inspection body or another body. Ispica is a town in Sicily not far from Ragusa. Read more Eskimo Carrot F1 the first “green carrot” -
Help with Climate Change and Carbon
Footprint The main advantage is that growers do not need to protect the Eskimo with
costly straw and polythene due to its cold tolerance.
This also reduces cost and for organic produces the carbon input of laying on
the straw and polythene, taking it off and of course the carbon involved in
producing the polythene in the first place.
Increased antioxidant capacity of Carrots - Studies suggest that a moderate, 14-second dose of UV-B can boost fresh, sliced carrots’ antioxidant capacity by about threefold. Exposing sliced carrots to UV-B, one of the three kinds of ultraviolet light in sunshine, can boost the antioxidant activity of the colourful, crunchy veggie. That’s according to preliminary studies by Tara H. McHugh, a food technologist and research leader at the ARS Western Regional Research Center in Albany, California, and her team. Found mainly in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants are natural compounds that may reduce risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The carrot investigation, conducted by McHugh, postdoctoral associate Wen-Xian Du, and others, suggests that a moderate, 14-second dose of UV-B can boost fresh, sliced carrots’ antioxidant capacity by about threefold. The dose is energy-efficient and does not significantly heat or dry the carrots. Read more here. Chantenay carrots snack pack launch 11 April 2011 Freshgro, the growers’ co-operative that pioneered bringing back Chantenay carrots to the UK has today launched the nation’s first Chantenay Carrot Snack Pack. The packs are set to be a hit with consumers who are looking for a quick but healthy snack, particularly while on the move and taps into the trend towards healthier eating. For the first time, sliced carrots have been able to retain their distinctive shape thanks to cutting edge technology. As well as retaining their Chantenay appearance, the technology enables the carrots to retain their flavour, freshness and crunchy texture. The packs are available in single, round 80g pots plus a multi-pack design of 4 x 65g snap packs which are easy to separate. Kids will love the snack pots which are perfect for little hands and lunchboxes. There are two striking pack designs, one aimed at adults which has a black and orange theme and one for children, with a fun and colourful design incorporating ‘Tiny C’ the lovable Chantenay cartoon character ensuring good on-shelf presence and stand out. Read more here. USDA Replaces MyPyramid with Healthy MyPlate Icon The U.S. Department
of Agriculture ( Grains & Protein. Grains and protein each represent less than one quarter of the plate. While the protein group was once known as the meat group, over time it has transitioned to incorporate other protein-rich foods such as fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds. Dairy. The dairy group has been moved to a circle next to the plate and defined as fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt. Fruits & Vegetables. The biggest star of the MyPlate debut is fruits and vegetables, winning half the available real estate on the plate. The plate stresses the key concept of filling half your plate with fruits and vegetables (that doesn’t mean potato chips!). Overall, the new plate image encourages a more plant-based diet. And the best part … the plate icon is an easy enough tool for children to use too! Children and parents can learn to eat healthfully while sitting around their dinner plates. Creating a healthy eating plan doesn’t have to be complicated! Instead of worrying about the minor details, focus on these key guidelines: Balancing Calories ● Enjoy your food, but eat less. ● Avoid oversized portions. Foods to Increase ● Make half your plate fruits and vegetables. ● Make at least half your grains whole grains. ● Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. Foods to Reduce ● Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers. ● Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Visit MyPlate to create a balanced eating plan specific to you, and take the Pledge to eat MORE fruits and vegetables! Remember that the Dietary Guidelines for Americans stresses the move to a more plant-based diet, specifically instructing Americans to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables. Myplate website here. Exposing sliced carrots to UV-B, one of the three kinds of ultraviolet light in sunshine, can boost the antioxidant activity of the colourful, crunchy veggie. See USDA research here. Found mainly in fruits and vegetables, antioxidants are natural compounds that may reduce risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. The carrot investigation suggests that a moderate, 14-second dose of UV-B can boost fresh, sliced carrots’ antioxidant capacity by about threefold. The dose is energy-efficient and does not significantly heat or dry the carrots. Scientists have known for at least a decade that exposing plants to UV-B may cause what’s known as “abiotic stress.” Plants respond to abiotic stress by revving up their production of two natural enzymes, polyphenylalanine ammonia-lyase and chalcone synthase. As production of those enzymes increases, levels of phenolics, compounds synthesized by the enzymes, also increase. Some phenolics are antioxidants. Starbucks to Offer New Juice Brand Tall carrot juice, please, and a venti cranberry. The king of coffee has acquired Evolution Fresh Inc. in a move to offer a new brand of juice products at Starbucks chains. The acquisition is part of a broad strategy to focus on wellness. The company plans to “reinvent” the $1.6 billion juice segment in response to consumer demand for healthier options. “The acquisition of Evolution Fresh supports our growth strategy to innovate with new products, enter new categories, and expand into new channels of distribution,” said Jeff Hansberry, president of channel development for Starbucks. Read it at LA Times November 10, 2011 4:41 PM Ukraine becomes the biggest producer of carrots in Europe - According to Fruit-Inform, in 2011, Ukraine became the biggest producer of carrots in Europe, having for the first time ever outstripped Poland, a traditional leader in carrot production, notwithstanding an increase of harvested volumes in this country. Moreover, Ukrainian farmers harvested more carrots than producers from Great Britain, the second biggest producer in Europe. In such a way, only 4 countries of the world - China, USA, Russia and Uzbekistan - produce more carrots than Ukraine. Read more The power of suggestion works on the school lunch tray. A study published in the February 2012 online issue of the Journal of American Medical Association showed that elementary school students who had a school lunch tray with pictures of vegetables in the compartments where food is served tended to take and eat more vegetables. The study looked at the number of elementary school kids who took green beans and carrots and consumed them when photos of the vegetables were on their lunch trays, according to a news release from the Hockessin, Del.-based Produce for Better Health Foundation. The study found that putting the photos on lunch trays increased the amount of green beans consumed from 1.2 grams to 2.8 grams. An even bigger increase was noted for carrots, according to the study, with a jump from 3.6 grams to 10 grams. What’s more, the study found that more children took green beans at lunch because of the photos, from 6.3% to 14.8%; the number of students taking carrots rose from 11.6% to 36.8%. Press report here. First “Farm”aceuticals Grown in Carrots The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved Elelyso, the first drug to be grown in genetically modified plant cells. Produced in carrot cells, this drug helps to treat the symptoms of Gaucher disease, a genetic disorder that causes bruising, anemia and low blood platelets. Israeli scientists were able to insert a gene that codes for a human enzyme into carrot cells, causing the cells to produce the same protein that Gaucher patients lack. This new method should help prevent drug shortages that have affected Gaucher sufferers in the past, as well as being cheaper and less prone to infection than animal cells. Soon mothers may be telling their children to eat carrots, not just for better eyesight, but for better health across the board. Read more here. 2012 Champion - "Romance" variety voted best tasting carrot 2012 at UK event In early October 2012, Nunhems variety Romance was awarded the “Best Tasting Carrot 2012” at the yearly field day of the British Carrot Grower Association. The event was hosted by Guy Poskitt, a 500 hectare carrot grower/packer in Kellington, United Kingdom, and counted with the presence of growers, supermarket representatives and other members of the carrot industry. Next to knowledge sharing and demonstrations of the latest industry developments, the event featured a voting contest for the ‘best tasting carrot’. Visitors could choose from a total of 14 varieties from various carrot seed companies. A bottle of 12 year old single malt whiskey was the prize, won by Robert Oostveen, and his team for the variety "Romance" . Local carrots used to make beer in Colorado - read more. Do organic carrots beat conventional vegetables for immune system-support? - Organic produce is no healthier or nutritious, finds review. Organically grown carrots may stimulate the immune system, with ‘more’ organic carrots have more of an effect, says a new study that adds to the debate on the health benefits of organic produce. Read more. Carrots help fight prostrate cancer (April 2013)- CARROTS are latest weapon in the war against prostate cancer, according to groundbreaking new research published by scientists in York (UK). Professor Norman Maitland and his team at the University of York say a diet rich in vitamin A could be the key to beating prostate cancer because it makes the disease far more treatable. The researchers have discovered that retenoic acid, a chemical made from vitamin A, can reduce the ability of the cancer to invade surrounding tissue. Prof Maitland said: “If the cancer is confined to the prostate it’s much much more treatable with conventional medicine. This is about prevention rather than cure but it can stop the spread of the cancer. “We have found that specific twin genes are turned off in malignant prostate cancer stem cells. When we turn them back on using retinoic acid, the cancer becomes less aggressive.” He said: “It has been known for many years that low vitamin A in samples of men’s blood is associated with prostate cancer, but nobody knew the mechanisms involved. This is an exciting new development which links an element from our diet to prostate cancer stem cells. ”Vitamin A can be found in foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes and leafy green vegetables such as kale. Products produced from liver, such as paté, are also high in vitamin A. The latest research published by the team in the Yorkshire Cancer Research Unit, is the second recent breakthrough in understanding prostate cancer. The researchers also gained international recognition in 2005 when they became the first to identify prostate cancer stem cells, believed to be the root cause of prostate cancer. More than 10,000 men die annually in the UK from prostate cancer, and almost 41,000 men are diagnosed with the disease each year. BUY YOUR SEEDS HERE:
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county, California dominates
US carrot production, and two firms control 90 percent of California fresh
carrots--most growers produce carrots under contract for these firms. 
Details of common varieties
with links to photos are now on separate page -
USDA)
released a replacement for its current MyPyramid campaign in support of dietary
recommendations from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 to fill half your
plate with fruits and vegetables. The new healthy plate icon is sectioned off to
show fruits and vegetables as half of the plate making the recommendation easy
to understand. The new healthy MyPlate icon developed by the USDA supports this
concept … fill half your plate with colourful fruits and vegetables at every
meal!
