Upon looking through the New York Times today, one article definitely stood out to me. Located on page A6, "Europe Relaxes Rules on Sale Of Ugly Fruits and Vegetables" made me do a double take. Along with the picture, the headline seemed a little strange and ridiculous, so I wanted to find out more.
The story was brief, but very amusing. The main point was that European Union authorities have gotten rid of rules that ban oddly shaped produce from being sold in supermarkets. Starting in July, the standards for 26 different products (from peas to plums and lots more in between) will end. As one woman put it, "This marks a new dawn for the curvy cucumber and the knobbly carrot." (I really loved that quote.)
The article began with a basic news lead, summarizing the main point of the article, and it continued in a linear manner. It explained to readers that this decision was made partly because of the rising cost of commodities, so the officials figured "there was no point in throwing away food just because it looked strange." Although 16 of the 27 nations in the European Union tried to block the changes, they still passed.
The article also mentioned that 10 other types of fruits and vegetables will still be held to shape standards. Among these are apples, tomatoes, and strawberries.
Prior to reading this article, I had no idea that Europe had any rules for selling weird looking fruit or produce to the public. Thinking about it now, I suppose it makes sense since you don't usually see ugly fruits and vegetables in supermarkets, but it still seems a little strange to me. It made me wonder if the United States has rules like these - I suspect they probably do - and, if they do, if the U.S. will start adjusting their rules as well.
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