Produce Talk Volume 29 Issue 16 April 19, 2018

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Kristopher Golden
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1 Volume 29 Issue 16 April 19, 2018 ITEM OF THE WEEK: APPLES You've heard, "An apple a day will keep the doctor away." While it will certainly take more than a daily apple to keep you healthy, it is a step in the right direction. Apples are delicious, easy to carry for snacking, low in calories, a natural mouth freshener, and they are still very inexpensive. Apples are a source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber such as pectin actually helps to prevent cholesterol buildup in the lining of blood vessel walls, thus reducing the incident of atherosclerosis and heart disease. The insoluble fiber in apples provides bulk in the intestinal tract, holding water to cleanse and move food quickly through the digestive system. It is a good idea to eat apples with their skin. Almost half of the vitamin C content is just underneath the skin. Eating the skin also increases insoluble fiber content. Most of an apple's fragrance cells are also concentrated in the skin and as they ripen, the skin cells develop more aroma and flavor. There are hundreds of varieties of apples on the market today, although most people have only tasted one or two of the most popular such as Red Delicious or Granny Smith. Apples can be sweet, tart, soft and smooth or crisp and crunchy, depending on the one you choose. There is an apple to suit almost everyone's taste, so why not choose one. Have an apple today! Nutrition Apples deserve to be called "nutritional powerhouses". They contain the following important nutrients: Vitamin C - a powerful natural antioxidant capable of blocking some of the damage caused by free radicals, as well as boosting the body's resistance against infectious agents. B-complex vitamins (riboflavin, thiamin, and vitamin B-6) - these vitamins are key in maintaining red blood cells and the nervous system in good health. Dietary fiber - a diet high in fiber can help prevent the development of certain diseases and may help prevent the amount of bad cholesterol in your blood from rising. Phytonutrients - apples are rich in polyphenolic compounds. These phytonutrients help protect the body from the detrimental effects of free radicals. Minerals such as calcium, potassium, and phosphorus. Health Benefits 1. Get whiter, healthier teeth. An apple won t replace your toothbrush, but biting and chewing an apple stimulates the production of saliva in your mouth, reducing tooth decay by lowering the levels of bacteria. 2. Avoid Alzheimer s. A new study performed on mice shows that drinking apple juice could keep Alzheimer s away and fight the effects of aging on the brain. Mice in the study that were fed an appleenhanced diet showed higher levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and did better in maze tests than those on a regular diet.

dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein. 4. Curb all sorts of cancers.

2 3. Protect against Parkinson s. Research has shown that people who eat fruits and other high-fiber foods gain a certain amount of protection against Parkinson s, a disease characterized by a breakdown of the brain s dopamine-producing nerve cells. Scientists have linked this to the free radical-fighting power of the antioxidants contained therein. 4. Curb all sorts of cancers. Scientists from the American Association for Cancer Research, among others, agree that the consumption of flavonol-rich apples could help reduce your risk of developing pancreatic cancer by up to 23 per cent. Researchers at Cornell University have identified several compounds triterpenoids in apple peel that have potent anti-growth activities against cancer cells in the liver, colon and breast. Their earlier research found that extracts from whole apples can reduce the number and size of mammary tumors in rats. Meanwhile, the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. has recommended a high fiber intake to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. 5. Decrease your risk of diabetes. Women who eat at least one apple a day are 28 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who don t eat apples. Apples are loaded with soluble fiber, the key to blunting blood sugar swings. 6. Reduce cholesterol. The soluble fiber found in apples binds with fats in the intestine, which translates into lower cholesterol levels and a healthier you. 7. Get a healthier heart. An extensive body of research has linked high soluble fiber intake with a slower buildup of cholesterol-rich plaque in your arteries. The phenolic compound found in apple skins also prevents the cholesterol that gets into your system from solidifying on your artery walls. When plaque builds inside your arteries, it reduces blood flow to your heart, leading to coronary artery disease. 8. Prevent gallstones. Gallstones form when there s too much cholesterol in your bile for it to remain as a liquid, so it solidifies. They are particularly prevalent in the obese. To prevent gallstones, doctors recommend a diet high in fiber to help you control your weight and cholesterol levels. 9. Beat diarrhea and constipation. Whether you can t go to the bathroom or you just can t stop, fiber found in apples can help. Fiber can either pull water out of your colon to keep things moving along when you re backed up, or absorb excess water from your stool to slow your bowels down. 10. Neutralize irritable bowel syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome is characterized by constipation, diarrhea, and abdominal pain and bloating. To control these symptoms doctors recommend staying away from dairy and fatty foods while including a high intake of fiber in your diet. Varieties Golden Delicious has firm, white flesh and sweet crisp flavor. It is the preferred "all purpose" cooking app le since it retains its shape and rich, mellow flavor when baked or cooked. Its skin is so tender and thin that it doesn't require peeling for most recipes. Golden Delicious is very good in fresh salads and freezes well. Red Delicious is the most widely recognized of all U.S. apple varieties originated in Iowa in the 1870s. This sweet, crispy, juicy apple varies in color from striped red to solid midnight red. Western Red Delicious are elongated in shape, with pronounced feet. Eastern-grown Delicious are more round. This apple is best eaten fresh or in salads. Fuji's spicy, crisp sweetness and firm flesh make it an excellent fresh eating apple. It's also good in baking or applesauce and stores well. Fuji flavor improves in storage like fine wine. Fuji skin color varies from yellow-green with red highlights to very red. It was bred from a cross between Red Delicious and Ralls Janet varieties in Japan. Gala is one of my absolute favorites for fresh eating. It is heart-shaped with distinctive yelloworange skin with red striping. Gala is just the right size for snacking and is great in salads, good for baking and very good in applesauce.

Braeburn has high impact flavor. The crisp, aromatic Braeburn blends sweetness and tartness just right for snacks and salads. It's also good in baking, applesauce and for freezing.

Its probable parents are Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith. Granny Smith has crisp mouth-watering tartness. Bright green Granny Smith has a pink blush.

Jonagold is excellent both for eating fresh and for cooking. Honeycrisp apples have a honeyed, mild flavor and a crispness deemed explosive.

This apple is good for snacking, salads and sauce-making and stores well. Honeycrisp is college educated, developed by the University of Minnesota.

Medium sized and scarlet red, with yellow-green patches, it s sweet like the Honeycrisp and nice and firm like the Pink Lady. Smells delicious and is refreshingly juicy great for snacking and baking.

3 Braeburn has high impact flavor. The crisp, aromatic Braeburn blends sweetness and tartness just right for snacks and salads. It's also good in baking, applesauce and for freezing. Braeburn color varies from greenish-gold with red sections to nearly solid red. Braeburn was discovered as a chance seedling near Nelson, New Zealand in Its probable parents are Lady Hamilton and Granny Smith. Granny Smith has crisp mouth-watering tartness. Bright green Granny Smith has a pink blush. Its tartness really comes through when baked and sautéed. Jonagold is a blend of Jonathan and Golden Delicious apples, offering a unique tangy-sweet flavor with firm flesh. Jonagold is excellent both for eating fresh and for cooking. Honeycrisp apples have a honeyed, mild flavor and a crispness deemed explosive. Juicy and sweet, this popular newcomer is a cross between a Macoun and a Honeygold. Honeycrisp s skin is a distinctive mottled red over a yellow background, with coarse flesh. This apple is good for snacking, salads and sauce-making and stores well. Honeycrisp is college educated, developed by the University of Minnesota. Supplies are limited but growing with harvest beginning in September. Jazz is mellow with a bit of everything working together perfectly. Medium sized and scarlet red, with yellow-green patches, it s sweet like the Honeycrisp and nice and firm like the Pink Lady. Smells delicious and is refreshingly juicy great for snacking and baking. Available year-round. Ambrosias have smooth yellow-pink skin, a floral aroma, and slight honey flavor. Perfect for snacks, salads, and baking and available fall through winter. Cripps Pink is a cross of Golden Delicious and Lady Williams. Brisk, autumn nights help bring out its bright, namesake coloring. Available November to August, Cripps Pink are often found under the retail name Pink Lady. Recipe (Source: Allrecipes.com) COUNTRY APPLE DUMPLINGS Ingredients: Large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored 2 (10 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough 1 cup butter 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle Mountain Dew (TM) Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. 2. Cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside. Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough starting at the smallest end. Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish. 3. Melt butter in a small saucepan and stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Pour over the apple dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew(TM) over the dumplings. 4. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

4 Organic Produce BEETS: Beets still remain a challenge due to curly top virus that impacts the plant leaves and bulb. Supplies will be limited for a few more weeks until growers move to lower elevation new fields that should be clean. BROCCOLI: Supply has leveled off on broccoli and has become stable. Pricing is starting to come off and we are going to see promotable volume over the next several weeks. BUNCH CARROTS: Supply has rebounded quite well and we are seeing much better quality. CABBAGE: Supply has been stable and the warmer temperatures in Florida have increased supply. We are fighting inbound issues with yellowing that is causing orders to be prorated. CAULIFLOWER: Supplies are starting to stabilize as new fields have come online for growing. Cost has remained high, but showing good quality. CELERY: Supply has been greatly affected by insect pressures out west. Supply has become very limited and the price is starting to rise. CUCUMBERS: Supply is starting out stable in the market but we are going to see a little dip in supply as Mexico is seeing colder temps. We should remain in stock, but cost could increase. GREEN PEPPERS: Steady supplies are available between Florida and growers out west. KALES: Great supplies of kale currently, plenty of regional product from all over the Midwest available. We are sourcing from Georgia, Florida and other regions. Product is in great supply and pricing is very promotable. LETTUCES: Inbound quality on leafs have suffered due to the growing transition out west. We are continuing to see insect pressure on inbound arrivals. RADISHES: Supplies are impacted by weather out west as rains and the growing transition has affected the tops. We have moved to using product out of Florida to remain in good shape as the quality is far superior. YELLOW SQUASH & ZUCCHINI: Like cucumbers, temps have really affected supply in the Nogales growing region. We will see very limited supply on organic yellow squash. Western Vegetables ARTICHOKES: Domestic has started in a light way. Quality is good and market is strengthening. Expecting less than budgeted numbers next week. AVOCADOS: Larger size fruit is getting tight as growers in Mexico start raising prices in anticipation of Cinco de Mayo. Supplies should get better as we approach the holiday. Supply is expected to be excellent. BROCCOLI: We are 100% in Salinas. Volumes have been on the lighter side this week. With volumes expected to increase, promote-able volumes are going into May. Market is steady and quality is very nice. CAULIFLOWER: Cauliflower supplies and quality look strong for the next couple of weeks. No issues on the radar at the moment. CELERY: We continue to see strong production out of Oxnard. Market has been relatively steady with no rotation issues. Good volumes are expected to continue. ICEBERG LETTUCE: The lettuce market has been steady with Huron done and Salinas Valley being the primary growing region. Quality overall has been great and weights hovering in the ideal range of 42-44#. Great volumes forecast for the next several weeks. ROMAINE/ROMAINE HEARTS/MIXED LEAF: The market has remained active on Romaine hearts, Romaine, green leaf, red leaf and butter lettuce. Light numbers this week on green and red leaf but expectations of

5 volumes to increase. Both will be light supplies overall keeping their prices in the mid-teens. Romaine & Heart production have been strong with good numbers and quality coming out of the fields. Value-Added Weather related issues continue to cause problems in California s growing areas. Cold temperatures and rain have slowed the growth of most crops, lowered yields and caused supply gaps. Expect prorates and shortages of various value-added items over the next few weeks. Fresh Express has introduced a new salad caused Sweet Hearts. It is a blend of butter, Romaine and leaf lettuces that is packed 6/9oz bags per case. The Crosset item number for the new salad is # Southern Vegetables BEANS: Market is down slightly. CABBAGE: Good supplies out of the south. CORN: Supplies will be increasing; prices are set pretty much through May on the spring corn promo. CUCUMBERS: Market pretty much the same. EGGPLANT: Dropped off a little. GREENS: Good supplies on all greens coming out of the south. HARD SQUASH: Good supplies on all hard squash. ONIONS: Conventional Vidalia onions are now available with organics starting May 1 st. PEPPERS: Mostly coming from Mexico, some from Florida. Market pretty much remains the same. POTATOES: Idaho Russet potato markets are steady; supplies are good. YELLOW & ZUCCHINI SQUASH: Dropped off a little. Asparagus Improving volume out of Peru, coupled with unexpected volume increase out Mexican regions, have dropped asparagus costs significantly with spot deals available. Demand is flat as very little ad set causing the price drops. Peru volume will continue to increase to replace the dwindling Mexican product particularly on eastern USA shipping. Organic supplies are steady and new flush of product in Mexico has prices down. Fruits APPLES & PEARS: Bagged Midwest apples are starting to slow down. There are still good quantities of Red Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Macintosh through the rest of April. All varieties of Washington apples remain in good supply and quality. Imported organic Galas have arrived and are great quality. We are also moving into the organic Packham Bartlett pear next week. BLACKBERRIES: Blackberry production has fallen off and very limited products is available. Production cycle will remain low for next few weeks causing market to strengthen. More volume will come as we enter May and offer next best ad opportunity. Organic blackberry supply steady but some supply issues are looming and overall market will continue to rise. Driscoll down slightly on California blackberries. BLUEBERRIES: Strong supplies now coming on in Florida; great quality fruit and cost dipping. Promotions are now available and should remain throughout April. Georgia production will be light to start as some freezing temps back in early bloom season caused some crop damage and could cause short tight frame for blueberries

6 as April ends and May starts but once that period shifts, good strong crop will be available. Organic Florida production is very light but new California fruit is excellent quality and reasonable market. CANTALOUPES & HONEYDEW: Good volume continues on imported cantaloupes and markets remain stable. Market and supply should continue to be consistent over next few weeks. Honeydews are rebounding after a few weeks of tight supplies. CITRUS: Navel oranges will continue through the end of May. Minneola s, blood oranges and Cara Cara navels will be finishing up in about a week. CLEMENTINES: Market unchanged as product flow remains steady out of Morocco. 3# bags are the popular retail pack but 5# wood boxes still a good promotional item. California clementines/mandarins are in steady supply; eating quality is excellent out of both areas. GRAPES: Imported Chilean and Peru grapes have peaked and beginning to wind down. Red varieties should remain in good supply, particular in Crimson variety. As we move into this latter stage of South American season, look for markets to begin to firm up with price spread between reds and greens with green being in lighter supply and huge price increase for good quality product. Organic grapes in supply from South Africa on red and black seedless. PINEAPPLES: Supplies are steady. RASPBERRIES: Supply has hit a small gap and will be very limited over the next week to two weeks. Both conventional and organic product will be affected by this limited inbound supply. STRAWBERRIES: The strawberry market is the most affected by the weather we are seeing out west. Florida supply has finished up along with the product we would be seeing shipped out of Mexico. The California strawberry situation is getting better but we are still seeing significant inbound cuts. Tropical Fruit BABY FRENCH BEANS: Market remains level with good supply. KIWI: Steady supplies from Italy/Greece. New Zealand crop set to begin mid-may. LIMES: Prices has firmed up and increased on some sizes, with better demand this week. Size 200 and large remained limited. Overall quality is very nice. MANGOES: Product is becoming tight as the Peru season in coming to an end and the start of the Mexican crop is limited. Weather is not helping the matter as it is limiting the amount of fruit that can be picked and shipped. Supplies are expected to be tight through May 15 th. MARIDOL PAPAYAS/ GOLD PAPAYAS: Supplies have become lighter after some rains affected growing regions. SUGAR SNAP PEAS/SNO PEAS: Great pricing; predominately Guatemala product. Markets at low point. Merchandising Tips With the weather changing and everyone thinking spring, here is something to consider. One category that can still drive a lot of sales in your department is apples. Yes, apples! Don't allow your variety to dwindle down when there are so many great ones available right now. I assume everyone is carrying the standards like Golds, Reds, Grannies, Galas, Fujis and Honeycrisp. There are quite a few more varieties that are selling well. You must try the great-tasting Envy apple which has won an award two years in a row for being the best apple there is...what an honor! Cripps Pink, Jazz, Ambrosia and Braeburns are all familiar

varieties to your customers now. Some newer ones to try are Kiku, Opal, Kanzi, Pacific Rose and Ruby Frost. Yes, Crosset carries them all! Bring them in and sample them out for your customers.

7 varieties to your customers now. Some newer ones to try are Kiku, Opal, Kanzi, Pacific Rose and Ruby Frost. Yes, Crosset carries them all! Bring them in and sample them out for your customers... see which ones they think are the best. Have some fun with it! Crosset Company s Annual Produce and Floral Conference will be held on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 CROSSET NEW ITEM & DELETION SHEET W/B: 4/22/18 ITEM # NEW ITEMS SIZE Clementine's 2# 15/2# Vidalia Onion 40# Vidalia Onion 8/5# Vidalia Onion 16/3# Fancy Lemon 75ct 1840 Bin Watermelons 45ct DELETIONS OG Jonagold Apple 40#/80ct OG Pacific Rose Apple 40#/80ct OG White Seedless Grapes 9.9# OG Kumquats 12/8oz Yellow Onion Sets 32# Red Onion Sets 32# White Onion Sets 32# OG Yellow Spring Onions 24ct OG Red Spring Onions 24ct Bunch Vidalia Onions 24ct

Volume 29 Issue 8 February 22, 2018

Volume 29 Issue 8 February 22, 2018 Item of the Week: CUCUMBERS 10 Health Benefits of Cucumbers Few foods are as cool as a cucumber. These lowcalorie veggies contain many nutritional benefits, including