BEST IN SEASON

New Zealand citrus including Navel oranges, lemons, tangelos and grapefruit are all in good supply this month. Afourer and Encore mandarins, which are both popular and easy to peel, are also becoming available.

Avocados

Avocados are delicious, versatile and packed with almost 20 vitamins, nutrients and phytonutrients. Their popularity has been rising for some time and the industry’s vision is to quadruple sales to $280m and triple productivity by 2023. The main avocado season runs from August to February, however smaller volumes are available outside this time.

What to look for: Bright green Hass avocados should not be displayed until they are olive green. Less than 20% of your display should be olive green with 80-90% of it being brown/green to purple/ brown. Do not display black avocados as they are overripe. The skin of a Reed avocado will stay green when ripe, unlike a Hass avocado.

Storage/handling: Avocados need to be ripened at room temperature, then stored in the refrigerator. They bruise easily, so handle carefully. Choose Hass avocados based on colour – bright green are not ripe, olive green will be ripe in 2-3 days, brown/green are firm-ripe and purple/brown are soft-ripe. Reed avocados are ready when the stem yields to gentle pressure. Nutrition: Avocados contain good sources of dietary fibre which supports digestive health, vitamin B6 which is essential for use of protein by the body and folate to help fight fatigue.

Grapefruit

From the citrus family, grapefruit are semi-sweet, tangy, refreshing and often eaten at breakfast time. They have many of the same health benefits as their relative, the ever-popular orange and are available from May to January. Main varieties grown in New

Zealand include the Morrison Seedless, which are large and golden, and the Star Ruby which has a magnificent red flesh.

What to look for: Choose fruit with smooth skins that are plump and heavy for their size.

Storage/handling: Grapefruit can be stored at room temperature, out of direct sunlight for one week, but if kept refrigerated their vitamin content will be preserved and they will last much longer.

Nutrition: Grapefruit are a good source of vitamin C to support healthy immunity, skin, gums and teeth. They are also a source of folate, important for making healthy blood.

Fresh herbs

The popularity of fresh herbs is growing faster than ever with the quest for natural flavours in an increasing plant-based diet world. Herbs naturally flourish and are abundant in spring, however due to hydroponics and state-of-the-art glasshouses, most herbs are available all year-round. Popular varieties include mint, coriander, basil and parsley but there is a large range available including dill, chives, thyme, sage and oregano to name a few.

What to look for: Leaves should look bright, fresh and unwilted with crisp stems. Fresh herbs have a strong but pleasant aroma. To keep your stock as fresh as possible, order small quantities regularly. Offer a range of different varieties to keep your stand interesting.

Storage/handling: A large selection of fresh herbs now come pre-cut and packaged for convenience – it is essential to keep these refrigerated. Potted herbs will have been well-watered before being dispatched to you, so you shouldn’t need to water them if you are ordering small quantities often and turning your stock over.

www.unitedfresh.co.nz

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