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Natural Good Fruits
It is good for health to eat more vegetables and fruits! This is not a slogan. Some researches have found out hat if human bodies take in enough vegetables and fruits, it will help prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancers, obesity, diabetes and other diseases. And eat more fresh vegetables and fruits can protect man from various chronic diseases and cancers because they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers. Since Taiwan is located in subtropical region and has continuously carried out breed improvements, diversified varieties of fruits are available on the market throughout the year. And Taiwan produces plentiful fruits especially in summer, with pineapple, mango and grape being very popular among local consumers. The export of Taiwan fruits has also been increasing steadily.
What’s the secret of selecting fruits? First, the best choice is in-season fruits and locally produced ones because they are not only cheap but also with good quality. If you don’t know the production season and product origin, you can visit the Council of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Agency website (http://www.afa.gov.tw) to find out in-season farm produce throughout the year and their production areas. Besides, the book titled “A yearly calendar of Taiwan’s vegetables and fruits” provides detailed information about Taiwan fruits in four seasons.
The second is to select fresh, ripened fruits because they are not only delicious but also rich in nutrition. Although consumers should eat “fresh” fruits, such fruits as banana and persimmon are not edible immediately after being picked. Freshly picked banana and persimmon have to be made ripened artificially and their bitter taste removed so as to bring out their unique flavor. And such fruits as mango, pineapple, papaya, melon and honey peach are sweeter, more delicious and more fragrant with bright colors when they are naturally ripened.
In addition, consumers should choose fruits which are plump, intact on the exterior, and with the right size. And if you feel a fruit’s weight when holding it in your hand, representing that it has rich contents with better flavor. If you feel it is quite light, don’t buy it because it may not be fresh enough. You don’t have to choose fruits which are perfect on the exterior, because minor flaws do not reduce their nutrients and quality and they cost you less.
There are many varieties of fruits on the market and the problem of pesticide and agricultural chemical residue has been heard from time to time. If consumers want to eat without worrying about health, they should buy so-called “safe fruits,” which are up to the standards of Bureau of Food and Drug Analysis under the Department of Health with high quality. And you can choose fruits which had been bagged until ripened on trees. As long as farmers have followed the production procedure as guided by their district agricultural research and extension station, there won’t be the problem of excessive pesticide or agricultural chemical residue.
And consumers are advised not to buy fruits not in season because as a result of limited supply their prices are certainly higher than in season. Wash fruits with salt water or cleaning solution before eating may not necessarily clean them completely. The best way is to clean them thoroughly with clear water and it’s better to clean with water those fruits whose skin has to be removed before eating.
In order to guarantee food safety for consumers, the Council of Agriculture has promoted such “safe agriculture” systems as production and marketing traceability, CAS premium agricultural products, GAP (good agricultural practices) and organic agriculture, ensuring that consumers can eat farm produce for good health. To enjoy Taiwan fruits with superior quality and safe agricultural products, consumers should try to start from choosing safe fruits!
