b'revitalized the careers and businesses ofVilmorin-Mikados GOLD NUGGET vegetable and fruit breeding firms, grow- carrot, as its name suggests, is yellow ers and retailers. For those who run farm- due to lutein. Lutein also lends this carrot ers markets, farm gate stores and biggera unique sweet taste, says Gueguen, and stores, eye-catching displays lead to morethat shows how, in some cases, breeding sales, and also drive word-of-mouth andfor colors allows us to discover new fla-social media chatter, bringing more footvors. The company is working to launch traffic through the door. purple and pink carrots as well. Giroux also adds that the growingNovel colors in carrots, says Gueguen, popularity of novel colors also has meanthave really allowed growers and grocery that produce is now worthy of branding.department managers to renew and One good example is Del Montes pinkrevitalize the image of this old standby pineapple, branded as PinkGlow and 16vegetable. They are looking for originality, years in the making. Grown exclusivelysegmentation and diversification, he says. in Costa Rica and launched in 2020, itsEspecially in sophisticated markets. Why did color become a breeding target? marketed in North America and beyondPeppers seemed to start the trend!for use in cocktails, desserts and more. Taste ConnectionIn traditional pineapples, the anti- James Daley, pumpkin breeder & squash oxidant lycopene (which gives fruit likepre-breeder at HM Clause (HMC), tomatoes a pink or red color) is convertedexplains that with a vegetable such as by an enzyme to beta-carotene, makingbutternut squash, the visual appeal of the flesh yellow. Pinkglow Pineapplesthe flesh color speaks to a visceral asso-have lower levels of the enzyme. ciation of vibrant color with good taste. Its disappointing when a butternut with Nutrition Boost deep orange flesh color is missing the But with food, especially with todaysflavor component and conversely, very health-conscious consumers, its not justsatisfying when that color and is associ-the new colors on the outside that areated with excellent taste. It goes without attracting people to buy and consumesaying that presentation, including color, these varieties.is part of the experience.Consumers also love the new colors For ornamental pumpkin, where because they see them as a way to getwe are only feasting with our eyes, theTomatoes are ranging in colors from red to more nutrition in their diet, says Giroux.consumer demands a great orange color,yellow to green to purple. The Eat the Rainbow advice from dieti- Daley adds. cians is being promoted as heavily as theIndeed, among orange pumpkins, the Food Pyramid was 20 years ago.intensity of the orange can make or break Most consumers are well aware of thea pumpkin, he says, even with otherwise myriad of health benefits that come fromexceptional characteristics. And while polyphenols, the group of biochemicalsthe demand for deep orange remains the that includes pigments. Eating thesedominant market class, there is a sizable compounds help prevent or treat healthand growing interest in other-than-orange conditions connected to inflammation andpumpkins. People want new innovations oxidative stress, including cancer, heartin colors, patterns and shapes to com-disease and age-related mental decline.plete their fall porch ensemble. The subgroup of polyphenols calledFor this reason, breeders are pushing flavonoids includes anthocyanins, whichthese traits hard in their breeding pro-are the antioxidants found in red, purplegrams, says Daley. In response to this, and blue fruits. Within the yellow hues,HMC has a robust portfolio of decora-the pigment lutein has positive effects ontive pumpkins such as Lilpump-kemon eyesight and the reduction of age-relatedand Fireball and has recently released aThough orange pumpkins continue to be macular degeneration. yellow pumpkin called Lemonade. Therepopular, new colors are coming to market. FEBRUARY 2023 SEEDWORLD.COM /53'