Imperfect Produce - How to Make Conscious Food Choices
We don’t usually think about the arduous journey that food goes through to get to our tables. What does it take to fill our supermarkets produce section with beautiful round red apples, or its meat department with slabs of richly marbled steaks?
Well unfortunately, our perception of what is acceptable to eat has been skewed by what appeals to our visual sense first and foremost. When it comes to buying food, we buy what looks the best. So, when it comes to sorting food for market, beauty matters. Although two apples may be equal in the amount of nutrition and delicious taste they provide, ones that are not visually considered “the norm” may be outcast. Whether the produce grew with abnormalities or sustained bumps and bruises through transport, the physical appearance of food has become so prevalent, that roughly 20 to 40 percent of the fruits and vegetables grown in the US are discarded purely for aesthetic reasons.
However, determining what’s a visually acceptable piece of produce is more complex than farms and supermarkets making personal preferences. In commercial food marketing you want grade and quality labeling, because after all, food is a business and you want your product to sell.
The USDA has U.S. Grade Standards which are voluntary and provide the fruit, vegetable and specialty crop industry with a uniform language for describing the quality and condition of commodities in the marketplace.
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Specialty Crops Inspection Division is a team of professionals who provide quality assurance reviews and inspections, conduct food safety auditing, and develop national standards for fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, nuts, and other specialty products—all in support of America’s food industry supply chain. The AMS also provides American agriculture with valuable tools and services, such as grading, certification, and verification, that help create marketing opportunities. These services are said to guarantee the quality of American food and add value to American products.
There are extensive official inventory inspection visual aids on the USDA website. For example, a potato must meet conditions such as the maximum surface scab (5% of surface) permitted, maximum growth crack permitted for the size of the potato, maximum pitted scab permitted for the size of potato, limits for a flaring growth crack, and different maximums for how skinned the potato is based on its type and size.
Luckily, farmers can plow that imperfect produce back into the soil, compost it, donate it, market it to food services where initial appearance is not seen, or use it to feed animals. But what can we do as consumers? There are currently several companies where you can purchase imperfect produce online for discounted prices. However, that reverts from supporting your local farmers, grocery stores, and economy. The closer food is grown to you, the better. Reach out to your area’s farms and markets and see what programs they’re doing to minimize this potential waste. Maybe your inquiry could spark a store’s idea to start an imperfect produce section – where you could buy this imperfect produce at a discount while also still supporting your local economy.
We know produce being discarded due to its appearance is a problem, but it will take more understanding and creative ideas to change the fate of imperfect produce and keep it from landfills.
Here are a couple links to get started on learning about imperfect produce!
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/26/18240399/food-waste-ugly-produce-myths-farms