Sint-Margriete (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 6,000 kilos of misshapen carrots grown by farmers in Sint-Margriete, rejected by supermarkets, have been rescued from waste in a bid to reduce food loss.
The food collective Waste Warriors made the appeal, and as a result, all of the vegetables were sold. The food bank receives a donation of 1,000 kg of carrots.
Pieter-Jan and Maarten van Livinushof, organic farmers in Sint-Margriete, close to Sint-Laureins in East Flanders, are the source of the carrots. Because of their peculiar appearance, six tons of carrots were in danger of ending up at the trash landfill rather than in the grocery store.
The’rescue mission’ was organized by the food collective Waste Warriors since the roots are absolutely edible. and with accomplishment.
“In less than 48 hours, 500 carrot packages (weighing 2,500 kilograms in total, ed.) were sold through our platform,”
reports Waste Warriors, which is committed to combating food waste.
Thanks to this successful campaign, 1,000 kilograms of carrots can also be donated to the food bank, where they go to families who are struggling.”
“It’s wonderful to see that a residual flow can simultaneously create awareness, consumption and solidarity,”
says Thomas Schiltz of Waste Warriors.
Additionally, other businesses, like Foodbag, Davai Dumplings, and a few large kitchens, have purchased “ugly” carrots to prepare for their clientele.
How do the ugly carrots compare in taste and quality to regular carrots?
Since “ugly” carrots are frequently grown organically or with less processing, many farmers and customers say they taste just as good as, if not better than, their more uniform counterparts.
While “ugly” carrots retain their natural differences, which can include better taste and texture, the typical retail carrots are bred for uniformity and shelf life, often at the expense of flavor.
Store-bought “baby carrots” are frequently peeled and sliced from larger, “ugly” carrots; some customers think these baby-cut carrots taste less tasty than full, natural carrots.
The idea that look equals quality is being challenged by studies and customer feedback that demonstrate that “ugly” carrots are perfectly edible, nutritious, and sometimes even more tasty than the typical store kinds.
