It’s a Wednesday morning in December, and that can mean its a pretty dry day in the news when it comes to fresh fruit and veggies. Sure, there are always some interesting stories coming through this week (including the tantalizing deregulation of the Innate snowden potato, and this story about Florida citrus growers using thermal technologies to fight citrus greening) but today I’d like to share some “breaking” news.
Go figure.
It seems the green fruit cannot escape the limelight, and part of that has to do with supply and demand, as avocado prices continue to drop while supplies remain relatively high. Avocado prices remained significantly lower than last season, with two-layer cartons of Hass 48s from Mexico selling between $18.25 and $22.25 on Dec. 7, according to USDA. During the same time frame last year, Hass 48s were selling at $28.25. (Editor’s Note: This webpage is updated every Tuesday at 3:00 P.M. E.S.T.)
Food safety regarding avocados also got a boost this week after the publication of a study regarding listeria in guacamole in Food Control Journal. The study found that implementing strategies to counter cross-contamination in avocado processing facilities could reduce the incidence of contamination in final products to 0.17%.
Maybe not the most riveting story, but it does highlight how everyone wants to learn more about this green fruit.
However, perhaps the most important story this week about avocados comes from The Independent. This year, Pinterest noted that avocados were the most pinned food trend in 2015. The food is dominating social media, with bloggers, celebrities, fashionistas and wellness bloggers advocating for the fruit.
However, not all is well, with a backlash brewing. According to the article, avocado toast was declared “the most annoying food in Instagram.”
Oh well. You can’t win them all.