Fruits have been a great foundation in our diet for generations, given their valuable contribution to meeting human needs in terms of minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, and numerous phytonutrients. Fruits are low in calories and fat, but high in simple sugars, fiber, and vitamins – all of which are necessary for good health.
The diversity and abundance of Europe’s farmlands guarantee corps with high vitamins and minerals – as well as a strong source of dietary fiber and antioxidants, making them nutritious components in many recipes of various cuisines.
The European fruits are diversified, including some in the list below:
1. Armenian Apricot: The country’s national fruit owes its exceptional sweet taste, delightful flavor, and aroma to Armenia’s moderate climate and year-round sunshine. It is known as “tsiran” in Armenian and has a soft, plump pulp inside a velvety outer peel. It is dubbed as “the golden fruit of Armenia”, and presently grows over fifty apricot types – which are harvested from the middle of June until the end of August.
2. Mirabelles de Lorraine: Since the 16th century, these plums have been a specialty of the Lorraine region of France. They are tiny and have a stunning yellow-to-golden color. Their flesh is smooth and delicate, and their skin contains several small dots on the exterior. Mirabelle plums have a sweet, delicate flavor and are harvested in September. They have the advantage of not having a pit inside; thus, removing it manually before cooking is unnecessary.
3. Damson Plum: These plums vary in size from tiny to larger and have an oval shape. The sweet taste is unique, rich, and somewhat astringent when completely ripened. The tint of the skin ranges from dark blue, to indigo, to near-black. This fruit is classified as a clingstone, which means that the flesh clings to the stone in the middle.
4. Mandarini Chiou: This is the most fragrant mandarin variant in the entire globe. Even though unripe, the tenacity of their aroma will make anybody immediately fall in love with them at first taste. Surprisingly, their scent escapes the citrus groves, earning Chiou the nickname “Myrovolos”, which means “the fragrant island” in Greece and far beyond regions. Its producers established the method of paper wrapping the mandarins shortly after harvesting to maintain the fruit’s great quality.
5. Fragosika: It is a prickly pear plant that bears exquisite fruit high in nutritious minerals and vitamins. Natives have long been familiar with this fruit, and it has been incorporated into their daily diet in various forms – dried, fresh, or turned into other sweet delicacies. Misokofti, a creamy, pudding-like dish, is one popular sweet treat based on this fruit.
Such fruits can be eaten raw or cooked into jams, sauces and various dishes across the globe. These fruits represent only a minor portion of the fruits grown in Europe.
Gourmets in the continent can enjoy healthful and tasty produce all year long, knowing that it has been farmed and prepared to the greatest standards.
Farmers in Europe are obligated to follow a set of best agricultural practices and use approved production methods. Growers and merchants are incentivized to ensure the safety of their products; they are accountable for adhering to all required food safety procedures at both the farm and processing levels. Furthermore, non-organic farmers are taking considerable measures to limit pesticide use in response to market demands. Moreover, items are regularly controlled and checked at numerous stages of the supply chain, ultimately increasing safety and trustworthiness.
A European Union organic logo guarantees organic goods produced in Europe have a uniform visual identity. This makes it easy for customers to recognize organic products and helps farmers in marketing them within the country.
Only items certified as organic by an authorized control organization or entity may bear the organic logo. This implies they have met strict requirements for how they must be manufactured, processed, transported, and stored. The logo may only be used on products that contain at least 95% organic ingredients and meet additional stringent requirements for the remaining 5%. Organic and non-organic versions of the same substance cannot coexist.
Conclusion:
Since the croplands of Europe are extremely different – ranging from the sunlit mountains to the green plains. The diversity of soils and climatic conditions makes the continent capable of producing and exporting a wide range of high-quality fruits with a broad range of flavor combinations throughout the entire year. In addition, the European Union organic logo secures safe “farm to fork” practices for all their farm products by following the best practices of the safety process.