12 / www.FarmProgress.com March 2013 Michigan Farmer ■ Michigan Editorial Stop blackballing baby carrots By JENNIFER VINCENT I SEE it more and more these days, people seem to enjoy hitching a ride on the wave of negativity. When something sounds afoul or even the least bit suspicious, whether it be true or not, people are more than willing to join in the parade of crusaders to spread the news of some kind of wrong. The latest Facebook fallacy I recently came across was a smear tactic to undermine one of my ranch-dipping partners — baby carrots. How dare they bash betacarotene goodness. It’s one thing to curse fat-laden, sweetened, shaped, puffed, greased and processed junk food, but to loathe baby carrots is reprehensible. The Facebook post, which I understand started circulating a few years ago but just now made it to my attention, explains how baby carrots are made from larger crooked or deformed carrots. It goes on to say, “Once the carrots are cut and shaped Editor’s Note into cocktail carrots, they are dipped in a solution of water and chlorine in order to preserve them (this is the same chlorine used in your pool) since they do not have their skin or natural protective covering, they give them a higher dose of chlorine. You will notice that once you keep these carrots in your refrigerator for a few days, a white covering will form on the carrots; this is the chlorine which resurfaces.” It further urges people who care about their family and friends to pass this knowledge on because, “Chlorine is a very wellknown carcinogen.” It was a bit disturbing for me to see two of my friends, whom I consider to be intelligent, quickly comment about how awful and shocking this information was and how they were going to stop purchasing baby carrots. Really? Maybe what made it believable was the Facebook post said the Odds and ends Merry Farmer? Ed Knauf of Osceola County came across this little badge of sorts accompanied with a pin — The Merry Circle — The Michigan Farmer. He obtained it from his aunt Edna Knauf, who he believes has had it since the early 1920s. It says, by being a member you are, “expected to do the best possible in spreading happiness, and endeavoring to maintain good health, and to gain knowledge in order to become a useful citizen of this country.” And it adds, “Purity and loyalty to all good things should be the watchwords of all members.” Does anyone have any additional history to share on this gem? It may have some connection to Michigan Farmer magazine, but that’s not certain. Tell us why you love farming Also, how come Michigan farmers are not better represented in the entries for the “Why I Love Farming” competition? I scrolled through the 60-some entries and found only one from Michigan. I know Michigan farmers have lots of good reasons for why they love farming — just write them down in 300 words or less. The best way to enter is to visit www.FarmProgress.com and scroll to the bottom of the website where you will see an ad along the bottom, click on that, register and turn in your essay. Please share a photo of family or farm life, too! If you do not have Internet, give me a shout at 989-224-1235 and leave your address, I will mail you a registration. I would really love a Michigan farmer to win this national competition. And, if you win, not only do you get bragging rights, you could win a free Arctic Cat Prowler XTX! How awesome is that! Call your Salford dealer today, or visit information came from a farmer. Truth is, yes, baby carrots were the brainchild of a California grower who was tired of losing half his carrot crop because they were not cosmetically marketable. He peeled them down and used a green bean slicer to produce the first crop of what later would be a mainstay of the vegetable tray. One problem was once the carrot had been whittled down, the core was left and it wasn’t as appetizing. Most baby carrots now are being grown for that purpose, and through genetics, they have been bred to have a much smaller and brighter orange core. Baby carrots in the supermarket these days are either immature carrots bred to be small and harvested young, or they are baby-cut carrots bred to be long and thin, which are then cut into smaller pieces at the processor. The white stuff OK, on to the real troubling nature of this attack. What is this white stuff? Does it really contain a carcinogen that may cause cancer? I have witnessed more than one bag of baby carrots turning a little white in my fridge. I also noticed it was only after an extended period. Therefore, in my little mi mind, I deduced that maybe they were dr drying out. I’ve cured this problem by so soaking them in cold water. But, now I’m b being told I am really being poisoned. With just a little fact-checking, the s source of the white film is, in fact, caused by drying of the damaged (peeled) tissue as the carrots are exposed to air. They even have a name for i white blush. If you’re still in doubt, it: try peeling a whole carrot and leaving it in the fridge. It will develop a white film as well. The good news, it is perfectly fine to rejuvenate your white-blushed carrots with a cold bath because it does not affect the nutritional value or its taste. Part of the Facebook post is correct in that carrots are exposed to chlorine, but not at high concentrations. Like other ready-to-eat fresh vegetables, baby carrots are rinsed or sprayed with diluted chlorine to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination, and then thoroughly washed and bagged. This process is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, with strict rules on the concentration of chlorine and how long the carrots can be exposed. In some public water systems, you’d www.salfordmachine.com NOT A CARCINOGEN: The white film, called white blush, is harmless and forms on baby carrots after they have been in the package for an extended period of time. find the same level of chlorine in tap water. Chlorination is a well-known and well-tested way to disinfect food products by killing any potential bacteria. And because as a society we have disassociated ourselves with any responsibility for food safety — nobody wants to wash anything — the burden to ensure no one gets sick falls on food processors and farmers. Baby carrots have been bred to be sweeter, more tender and a brighter orange. They’re a great, easy treat that’s packed with good stuff like vitamins A and C, fiber and beta-carotene. Although I will couch my praises just a bit, if you really love the taste of carrots, you won’t find the true carrot taste in baby carrots. For me, that makes it less desirable to cook with them. And because most of that wholesome beta-carotene is found in the skin and outer portions of the carrot, it’s estimated that up to 30% is lost in processing. However, eating carrots, baby or not, is still good for you and much better than some alternatives. I quickly commented on the Facebook post and squashed the notion that baby carrots are laden with chlorine and apt to cause cancer. I set the record straight and my friend deleted the accusation — at least one stream of nonsense shut down. Bugs Bunny would be proud, and I certainly have no intention of depriving my celery and cauliflower of the carrot’s company on my vegetable tray. We want to hear from you! Email: [email protected] Write to: Letter to the Editor, Michigan Farmer, 710 W. Park St., St. Johns, MI 48879 Osceola, Iowa • 1-866-442-1293
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