Free the Wonky Produce!:: EU Lifts Restrictions on the Ugly

Years ago, I remember being at a farmers' market in Berkeley, California and one farmer, Carl Rosato of Woodleaf Farm offered up a "pie bag" of discounted certified organic peaches. Very ripe and not the prettiest fruit, but oh so good.

I had no idea that the EU had standards for fruits and vegetables, but according to the BBC, restrictions on ugly or odd-looking fruit are being lifted.

So, after 1 July the consumer can once again choose to buy "curly cucumbers, crooked carrots and mottled mushrooms." The rules won't change for 10 crops that represent 75% of the produce sold, but consumers can buy them if the offending specimens are labelled "product intended for processing."

Well, I guess this doesn't affect fruit that are categorically cosmetically-challenged, like the durian::

I once bought a durian in a San Francisco produce market not knowing what it was. Is it food...or a weapon‽ It was frozen, but eventually defrosted. Fast forward a few hours and in the trunk of the Saab was an interesting odour that made me wonder if something crawled in and died. Here's what others have had to say on the smell of the durian. It wasn't bad tasting, but I thought it was odd.

What's your take on "wonky" produce? I'm sure all the pretty produce can relate to the song.

Song:: Ugly Girl - Fleming & John

Twittervesion:: #EU lifts ban on wonky produce, ending two decades of #lookism. http://url.ie/1xy2 @Prof_K