Crunch time for carrots rescued from
purple haze
By AMY PATTERSON (Central Leader)
Watch out Bugs Bunny - carrots
may not always turn up in the traditional shade of orange.
Food science students at Massey University are endorsing purple
carrots to growers and supermarkets.
Although the 1000-year-old purple carrots are not grown in New Zealand,
student Jo Urlich says it is time they are.
"Carrot growers that we have talked to have been quite excited
about it. Not enough people have heard about them yet," says
Ms Urlich.
Vibrant purple and yellow carrots were first grown in about 1000AD
in Afghanistan and spread to the eastern Mediterranean, where they
are still common.
It was not until the 1700s that orange carrots were first reported
growing in the Netherlands, and white carrots in Europe.
Ms Urlich says people often jump to the conclusion the alternatively
hued carrots are genetically engineered.
Massey University professor Ron Wrolstad is on a sabbatical visit
from Oregon State University.
Mr Wrolstad says purple carrots taste similar to orange carrots.
"I have eaten some, the ones I ate were good," he says.
"You can have quite a variety in taste in carrots, that's not
an easy thing to determine, but there's no denying it's a carrot."
The pigments in purple and orange vegetables contain different types
of antioxidants. Because purple carrots have an orange centre they
contain both types and are deemed healthier.
"I could see it being quite attractive to shoppers. The skin
I would describe it more as maroon and the orange centre is very
attractive," says Mr Wrolstad.
Purple carrots go on sale in British supermarkets next month, but
the seeds are not expected to be available off the shelf until August
next year.
Carrots are New Zealand's second fastest growing vegetable export,
including the fresh, frozen, dehydrated products and juice concentrate.
They have the highest Vitamin A content of all vegetables.
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