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New Rainbow Carrots Revive Ancient Colors
Oxnard, California, May 19, 2004 –
Carrots have always been a great way to add a splash of color to a salad or snack, but it hasn't always been a splash of orange. In fact, historically speaking, carrots were white, red, purple, green and black — every color but orange.
Today a partnership of plant researchers and growers are reviving some of those traditional colors, not only for the novelty, but for the health benefits packed away in those ancient colorful pigments. Beginning this month, a medley of red, yellow and orange carrots, marketed as Colorful Harvest Rainbow Crunch Carrots, will begin arriving in major grocery stores throughout the United States.
"Rainbow Carrots are super sweet, crunchy and antioxidant-rich. We selected them out of thousands of carrot varieties for their flavor as well as their nutritional qualities," said Doug Ranno, of Colorful Harvest LLC., a Monterey, Calif. grower-shipper that specializes in innovative, colorful vegetables.
"These carrots are the sweetest, juiciest carrots I've ever tasted," added Ranno, a 28-year veteran of the produce industry. "My kids love them. My wife and I have found that these colorful carrots have become a fun way to get our kids to eat more veggies."
"Rainbow Carrots are all natural and can be used in any recipe that calls for orange carrots," said Ranno. He cautioned about over-cooking them, however, since they are generally more tender than commodity carrots when cooked.
In addition to the new colors, the shape of these unique carrots is also a little different than U.S. consumers may be familiar with. Ranno indicated that they are broader at the top and have a more tapered shape than standard carrots, both typical traits of heirloom varieties.
According to plant researchers at Seminis, which developed the Rainbow Crunch Carrots with Colorful Harvest, each color pigment offers something different nutritionally speaking. Red carrots get their color from lycopene, and contain as much of this powerful antioxidant as a tomato. Betacarotene makes carrots orange; the deeper the color, the more beta-carotene they contain. Yellow carrots contain small amounts of both antioxidants, but may contain other health-related compounds known as phytonutrients. Studies have shown that these pigments may help prevent heart disease and cancer, and reduce cholesterol.
To develop the Rainbow Crunch Carrots, Seminis used traditional plant breeding, cross-pollinating varieties containing high concentrations of beta-carotene and lycopene with very sweet varieties. According to Seminis plant researcher Rob Maxwell, this was difficult work since there is no inherent correlation between color and sweetness. It took ten years to complete. "The goal was to develop carrots that are fun to eat, taste great, and could provide a good source of nutrients," said Maxwell, who has been working with carrots for 18 years.
Other products developed by the partnership of Colorful Harvest and Seminis include Scarlet Sweet Red Corn, which will arrive in stores in June 2004.
According to the Produce for Better Health Foundation (www.5aday.org), and its "5 a Day: The Color Way" campaign, eating five or more servings of colorful fruits and vegetables a day is part of an important plan for healthier living. Its website states: "That's because deeply hued fruits and vegetables provide the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals your body needs to maintain good health and energy levels, protect against the effects of aging, and reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease."
About Seminis
Seminis Vegetable Seeds (www.seminis.com) developed the first baby carrot in the 1980s. Its products reduce the need for agricultural chemicals, increase crop yield, reduce spoilage, offer better flavor and contain higher levels of important nutrients. Seminis headquarters are located in Oxnard, Calif.
About Colorful Harvest
Based in Monterey, Calif, Colorful Harvest (www.colorfulharvest.com) markets innovative, colorful and nutritious fresh fruits and vegetables under its own Colorful Harvest label, as well as fresh berries, avocados, and artichokes under the Green Giant Fresh label, and premium organics under the Earth's Harvest label. Beginning in June, Colorful Harvest will bring to market more than 3 million ears of Scarlet Sweet Red Corn.
Additional Contact
Doug Ranno
Colorful Harvest
(800) 305-1101
dranno@colorfulharvest.com
Recipe
Chilled Dill Rainbow Carrot Salad
2 cups carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cups shallots or red onions, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
Salt & pepper to taste
Boil rainbow carrots until tender yet crisp, about 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. Combine carrots and onions. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl until well blended. Pour over carrot mixture and toss well. Refrigerate at least 3 hours to blend flavors. Makes 4 servings.
Contact
Gary Koppenjan
Corporate Communications Manager
