April 2007 Archives
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) has identified significant increases in some grocery components. Egg and meat prices have raced ahead of inflation and show ongoing pricing trends. While a portion of the increases can be attributed to the rapid increases in corn prices this is only part of the issue.
America's appetite, like its population, is always changing. Foods once favored are now rarely eaten. Foods once only dreamed about are a reality. Dining out, once thought to be luxury, is now common.
The Nation's population is wealthier, older, more educated, and more ethnically diverse than in the past. And these demographic changes are likely to become more pronounced in the next 20 years.
Consumers will continue to demand new food products, new packaging, more convenience, new delivery systems, and safer and more nutritious foods. By 2020, the U.S. population will add between 50 and 80 million people, all becoming part of the food system. Based on an increase of 50 million food customers, U.S. food expenditures are projected to rise 26 percent between 2000 and 2020; the projected increase will boost food sales of supermarkets, restaurants, fast food outlets, and other retail food establishments to over $1 trillion.
The firm is recalling over 10,000 pounds of frozen ground beef products due to possible contamination with E. coli O157:H7, the U.S. Agriculture Department said.
USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said late Friday sampling was done by the California Department of Health Services during an investigation. The beef from Richwood Meat Co. was produced on April 28, 2006, and was sent to retail outlets in Arizona, California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.
E. coli O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea and dehydration. Children, elderly and people with poor immune systems are the most susceptible.
Read more: USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, per capita domestic use of all vegetables, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pulse crops, and mushrooms fell 3 percent to 428 pounds in 2006. Most of this reduction was due to consumer's lower use of head lettuce and processed tomatoes. Use of fresh market vegetables (including melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and mushrooms) totaled about 222 pounds, down 1 percent from a year earlier.
Consumption rose for crops such as asparagus, snap beans, cabbage, cauliflower, bell peppers, garlic, and romaine and leaf lettuce but fell for crops like head lettuce, spinach, celery, onions, pumpkins, and tomatoes.
Read more: Vegetables and Melons Outlook
I remember to this day my first bite of an Asian pear. Ten years ago while traveling in Korea my host shared one of these delightful fruits with me for the first time. The texture and taste are almost too complex to describe.
Asian pears are cousins to the pears that are typically seen in grocery stores, but this fruit is similar to an apple and its many names reflect that characteristic. Other names that this fruit goes by are: Chinese pear, Japanese pear, Sand, Nashi, and apple pear.
Asian pears differ from the traditional European ones. These pears are usually round, firm to touch when ripe, and are ready to eat after harvest. Asian pears reach prime quality when they ripen on the tree, like an apple and peach. These pears will be crisp, juicy, and slightly sweet with some tartness, especially near the core.
While European pears have the bulbous bottoms and tapering tops, they are not ready to eat until they are slightly soft and must be picked during the green stage and ripen at room temperature. European pears will be soft and juicy, with a sweeter, mellower taste. European pears will be brown at the core and an unpleasant taste if they are tree-ripened.
There are several Asian pear varieties available. Japanese pears are more round in shape, while the Chinese pears are more oval or pyriform (pear-shaped).
In the United States, the Japanese type of Asian pear called 20th Century or Nijisseki is the most popular. It is easily identified with its round shape and smooth yellow skin. Other common varieties include the Japanese bronze-toned Hosui pear and the pear-shaped Ya Li, a pale-green Chinese variety.
Selection
Select the most fragrant and un-bruised fruit with little to no brown spots. Ripe Asian pears are hard and do not soften. They are ready to eat when purchased.
Storage
Asian pears are known for keeping well. Store pears a week at room temperature or up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
