What are the benefits of using apple juice concentrate in the production of ketchup? Where do the best Gala apples come from? What’s up in European orchards? We encourage you to read news from European industry media!
Apple sweetened ketchup?
The sad24.pl website informs that there are more and more ketchup producers in Poland who use apple juice concentrate to produce ketchup. Sylwia Marszałkiewicz, production technologist at Primavika sp. z o.o. in an interview with representatives of the website, informs that grain vinegar, used in the production of ketchup for children and giving this product a slightly bitter aftertaste, can be successfully replaced with apple juice concentrate, eliminating the unpleasant taste of vinegar. Using this concentrate, we can also completely eliminate sugar used to sweeten ketchup.
The best Gala – from Poland
The sadowniczeabc.pl website reports that according to Mohamed Marawani, the owner of Sarafruit, the Polish export company, which places apples, among others, on the Egyptian, Indian, Spanish or Italian markets, the best Gala fruits in Europe come from Polish orchards. Although Sarafruit ships apples to different countries, M. Marawani hopes that Egypt will remain the main export market for his company’s apples in the future, despite various obstacles.
“I hope that the issues arising from the uncertain financial situation in Egypt will finally be resolved and we will be able to resume trade. This market is simply important to us”, emphasizes M. Marawani.
Apples for mousses, purees and for peeling
The demand for industrial apples intended for concentrate in Poland does not change, while the interest in industrial apples for peeling, mousses and purees is growing, according to sad24.pl. Processing plants purchasing this raw material began to raise prices. This applies to higher quality industrial apples of such varieties as Ligol, Jonagored or Idared (intended for peeling) and Gala, Szampion, Golden Delicious or Red Jonaprince (for the production of mousses and purees). Compared to other European countries, Poland is one of the largest suppliers of this raw material for industry.
Apples at the forefront of European fruits
In March this year, as in previous months, apples were the most popular fruit among Polish consumers, informs portalspozywczy.pl, referring to market research conducted by the Kantar studio. As many as 85% of the respondents ate apples: 7% of Poles ate them every day, and another 16% - 4-5 times a week. Second place among Polish consumers was taken by pears, the consumption of which was reported by 42% of the respondents. Less than a third (31%) of Poles in March reached for raspberries. Apples are also among the most consumed fruits in all European Union countries. They rank second, right after bananas. Oranges are in third place.
Spring frosts in Europe
As informed by sadyogrody.pl, spring frosts that hit parts of southern Europe in the first half of April may have damaged numerous fruit plantations. In Austria (regions of Burgenland, Lower Austria and Styria), night time temperatures dropped to -8°C. Due to the exceptionally warm March, the development of plants in local orchards was well advanced, therefore frost damage occurred in virtually all types of orchards: especially stone fruit orchards (apricots, plums, nectarines and cherries) and seed fruit orchards (apples and pears).
In Italy (Po Valley region), the overnight drop in temperature before Easter caused damage to flower buds and fruit buds on plums, cherries, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, kiwis and vines.