Tips & Facts
INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PRODUCE
By Ron Pelger•August 6, 2026•1 min read
- While oranges are famous for vitamin C, a single red bell pepper contains nearly three times more. Kiwi fruit also contains nearly twice as much vitamin C per cup as an orange.
- Many vegetables are primarily water—cucumbers are about 95% water, while potatoes are roughly 80% water.
- Placing an underripe avocado in a paper bag with a banana or apple will ripen it faster due to the natural ethylene gas produced by the other fruit.
- The Universal Product Code (UPC) was first used in the U.S. in the 1970s, allowing stores to automate inventory and track purchasing habits.
- Carrots become sweeter in winter as they convert starch to sugar to survive freezing.
- Thanks to controlled atmosphere storage that reduces oxygen levels, apples can be stored for 6 to 12 months before they reach store shelves.
- Tomatoes, onions, and sweet corn are the three largest vegetable crops in the U.S. by volume. Bananas are recognized as the most consumed fruit globally.
- Farmers in the Andes Mountains grew the first potatoes over 7,000 years ago.
