The reddening of the last batches of Melannurca Campana IGP, which started in mid-September, is almost over. Each apple is placed on a hay bed for fifteen days and is turned two or three times to guarantee a uniform colour.
It is precisely this extraordinary production process that makes Melannurca truly unique and one of the most important recent discoveries of the Department of Pharmacy of the Università degli Studi Federico II in Naples. All apples contain polyphenols, but Melannusca Campana IGP has a very high content of a group of polyphenols with recognised beneficial effects, i.e. procyanidins. This is because it is harvested while green and only reddens on hay beds, protected against parasites and fungi. This way, it develops higher quantities of defence molecules, meaning it lowers general cholesterol levels for people who eat them regularly. It increases "good" cholesterol levels (HDL) and reduces "bad" cholesterol levels (LDL) and also has positive effects on hair.
The 2017 campaign started with prices 15 eurocents higher per kg compared to 2016 due to the drop in quantities available. At A.o.p. Luce, volumes are in line with last year: "Luckily our produce wasn't affected by the bad weather that hit the northern Casterta area in spring," explains Giacomo Galdiero, CEO of A.o.p. Luce. "The weather was good also throughout the entire reddening phase, so quality and shelf-life are expected to be high." As usual, the fruit will be available until late spring.