Why Can’t We Find More Locally Produced and Fresher Food in Our Supermarkets and Restaurants?

Abstract

Americans are pushing for fresher more local food, but it is hard to know how fresh is fresh. As covered in the previous chapter, the definition of “natural” is ambiguous at best. “Fresh,” on the other hand, has at least two distinctly different definitions related to food which at times contradict each other. Fresh is used to distinguish fruits and vegetables that have not been processed from those items that have. Freshness of a fresh fruit or vegetable is also an indication of how long it has been since it was picked. Freshness of a bakery item dates back to how long ago it came out of the oven. Consumers are urged by nutritionists and pundits to choose fresh produce over canned, dried, and frozen. At the same time supermarkets are criticized for calling their produce fresh even though it may have been a long time between the time when it was picked and the time it was bought.