Japan: New, enriched produce aims to increase nation's veggie consumption
The amount of vegetables consumed per Japanese citizen annually has dropped from 102 kilograms in 2001 to 91 kg in 2011, according to the agriculture ministry. But with a recent rise in health consciousness among the public, food companies are hoping to stage a comeback with products that offer consumers more than just better flavour.
Sakata Seed Corp. in Yokohama said it is working on developing "new vegetables that are convenient for single people." Tiny Shushu, an entire head of miniature "hakusai" Chinese cabbage grown by the company, is small enough to hold with one hand and weighs around 1 kg.
While regular hakusai is cut into halves or quarters before sale, the mini hakusai can be sold as it is. It also lacks the hair-like fuzz found on regular hakusai, making it perfect for eating it raw in a salad.
Miniature varieties of cauliflower and other vegetables are also in the works at Sakata Seed.
Along with size, food companies are focusing on offering products with "functionality"--meaning lots of ingredients that are good for the body.
Last year, Tokyo-based Dole Japan Inc. came out with broccoli that has around three times as much sulforaphane as the regular variety. Sulforaphane's benefits include heightened bacterial resistance for the human body.
The product, which Dole Japan is marketing as a new variety of vegetable, is roughly twice as expensive as typical broccoli at 400 to 500 yen a head.
Source: asahi.com