Frequently Asked Questions

In align with higher living standard, we focus more on healthy diet. Most of us has chosen to prepare our own meal at home instead of dining outside. We also tend to select healthy and unpolluted organic vegetables as ingredient. Except good taste and consume with confident, what do you know about organic vegetables? Do you have the answer for the following questions?

Organic vegetables are grown according to natural way. Neither chemical fertilizer and pesticide nor additives and plant hormone are used along the process. Hence, cells of plant are filled and packed, containing more natural minerals and nutrients. Regularly consuming organic vegetables will replenish our body with more nutrient elements.

During adolescent age range, the development of body and functions of liver is weaker compared to grown adult. Currently, problems like pesticides leftover keep on reminding us to choose healthy and pesticide-free food. Organic vegetables do not contain chemical fertilizer and plant hormones. Regularly consuming organic vegetables will reduce the chances of intake of pesticides leftover, plant hormones etc. As a result, it also reduces the chances of getting sick.

生活水平日益提高，人们更加关注自身饮食健康，很多人选择了在家下厨吃饭来代替在外就餐，食材也开始倾向于选择健康无污染的有机蔬菜。关于有机蔬菜，除了口感好，吃得放心，你还了解哪些？以下这些问题，你知道答案吗？

有机蔬菜顺应自然规律生长，种植过程中不使用化学农药和化肥，也不使用添加剂和激素之类的物质，植物细胞更饱满，对人体有益的矿物质含量较多，常吃有机蔬菜可以帮助身体补充更多营养元素；

儿童年幼，身体发育情况和肝脏的排毒情况都不如成年人，当前存在的农药残留等问题，都在无时无刻提示着家人们一定要选择健康无残留的食品。有机蔬菜生长过程中不施用化学农药化肥和催熟剂添加剂等，常吃有机蔬菜，可减少吃入农残、添加剂等的机会，可帮助减少疾病入侵的机会；

1. Why do vegetables will turn into yellowish and rotten?

Without sufficient sunlight, the formation of chlorophyl is forbidden. Generally, the leaves will turn yellowish and thinner, nutrient will be lesser. Continuously flush of rain will wash away nutrient contained in soil, resulting in imbalance of minerals.​

1. 为什么菜很快变黄和腐烂?

阳光照不足，叶绿素的合成受阻，一般叶片也多会发黄，变薄，制造的养分也会减少。雨水的持续冲刷使菜地土壤里的某些营养元素流失，可导致矿物质比例失调。

2. Why will vegetables taste bitter?

For some vegetables, photosynthesis process is more aggressive when temperature is higher than 35℃. Metabolism of cell consume more energy than photosynthesis process. This will cause the vegetables to taste bitter.

Organic vegetables are grown in natural way and its maturity period is longer. Physiological drought of vegetables due to insufficient water intake during hot summer seasons will cause it to taste bitter.

2. 为什么菜会有苦味?

对于有些蔬菜来说，当温度超过35℃时，蔬菜的光合作用强，呼吸所消耗的能量高于光合产物，因此也会产生苦味。 有机蔬菜的种植严格遵循自然生长方式，生长周期较长，因此在炎热的夏季很容易水分不足，植株发生生理干旱，从而产生苦味。

3. Why cabbage group vegetables will have black spot?

Formation of black spot is because of physiological disorders due to abnormal metabolism between water and nitrogen. It is affected by concentration of nitrogen in soil and other environmental conditions such as water content and temperature.

Small black spot is a type of physiological disease and not caused by germs. The main factor is nitrogen in leaves undergoes abnormal physiological metabolism. Although the appearance deteriorates, it does not affect consumption of the vegetables.

3. 为什么白菜类会有黑点?

小黑點病的發生是伴隨著植株體內水分及氮素代謝異常而造成的生理性障礙，與田間施氮量密切相關，且受水分、溫度等環境條件的影響。小黑點病是一種生理病害，不是病菌引起的，主要是葉片氮素生理代謝異常，商品外觀性雖然變差了，但不影響食用。

4. Why is the head of radish family will be purple or green in colour?

Radish family is grown underneath and covered in soil. When radish grow to certain size, it will grow upward and expose to sunlight when there is not enough space in soil. The colour is formed due to exposure of sunlight.

4.为什么萝卜类的头会有紫色或青色?

萝卜类是种植在泥土里，长到一个程度，没足够位子长下去泥土里，那很自然的就会往上长，萝卜头的变色是因为被太阳普照造成的。

5. Why is cauliflower will turn into purple colour? Is it safe to consume?

It is okay to consume purple cauliflower. Purple is formed because glycoside turn into anthocyan when formed cauliflower in contact with low temperature suddenly. It is okay to consume as long as the cauliflower is fresh.

Formation of black spot is a sign of mildew. Generally, it starts to appear at the surface of cauliflower only and does not affect the inner part. It is okay to consume cauliflower after removal of the black spot on the surface of the cauliflower.

5.为什么白菜花会变紫色? 可以吃吗？

花菜变紫色可以吃的。与花球形成后突遇低温有关，是花球组织内醣甙转化为花青素所致，如果还新鲜可以吃没问题。黑色的斑点是花菜发霉的症状，一般刚开始的时候只是在花菜的表面，但不会影响里面，吃的时候只要把表皮的斑点部分削掉就可以了，不会影响食用。

6. Why do vegetables have holes, worms and snails?

This is normal phenomenon. Some even have worm spot and worm hole. This is because organic agriculture is prohibited from using chemical pesticides. Pest control physically and biologically is unable to kill worms completely. During raining season, worms and snails will hide inside indoor vegetables.

6. 为什么菜会有洞, 虫和蜗牛？

这都是正常现象，甚至有些还有虫斑和虫洞，因为有机农业在种植中禁止使用化学农药化肥，物理防虫和生物防虫都无法做到完全消灭病害虫；若是雨水多，虫和蜗牛就会藏在室内的蔬菜里面。

7. Why will broccoli turn yellowish?

Broccoli will turn into yellowish due to long hour put aside, causing loss of water. Furthermore, no chlorophyl is produced due to lack of sunlight. Yellowish broccoli is just a sign of loss of nutrient. It is not rotten and is safe to be consumed. Compact is an important measure when you hand pick a broccoli. It should feel dense, compact and heavyweight in your hand. The overall of broccoli should be stepping up and surface shall be smooth.

7. 为什么花椰菜会黄?

花椰菜之所以变黄是因为长时间的搁置，导致体内水分流失，又得不到阳光的照射，没办法产生叶绿素，变黄的花椰菜只是体内的营养成分在大量的流失，但并没有坏掉，完全可以食用。 挑选花椰菜重要的指标时是紧实，手摸上要紧实饱满，拿起来感觉沉重。花球整体有隆起感，表面凹凸感要少。

8. Is it okay to eat sprouted sweet potatoes?

Unlike potatoes, sweet potatoes belong to Convolvulaceae family. Potatoes belongs to nightshade (Solanaceae) family. When potatoes sprouted, it will produce enzyme and is no longer safe to be eaten. Sweet potatoes do not produce enzymes and is okay to be eaten. It is not recommended to put aside for a long time because it will affect the texture.

8. 番薯发芽可以吃吗？

番薯屬於旋花科植物，跟馬鈴薯不一樣，馬鈴薯（茄科）發芽後會產生酶，無法再食用，番薯發芽後不會產生酶，只是會影響口感，建議不要放太久。

9. Is it okay to eat sprouted potaoes? 

No. Potatoes belong to nightshade (Solanaceae) family. It will produce Glycoalkaloid, or Solanine. Glycoalkaloid is a natural toxin. It assists the plant against sickness and pest, however, consuming it might result in acute intoxication.

Especially when potatoes sprouted, the volume of glycoalkaloid increase by 5-6 times. Glycoalkaloid is very stable and cannot be detoxification even after it is cooked. Consuming sprouted potatoes might result in vomiting, stomach ache,  diarrhea etc. Sprouted potatoes should be discarded as whole and not removal of the sprouted part only.

9. 马铃薯发芽可以吃吗？

不可以。馬鈴薯為茄科食物，生長過程中會產生茄鹼（Glycoalkaloid），又稱為龍葵鹼或龍葵素。茄鹼是種天然毒素，可幫助植物對抗病蟲害，但卻可能導致急性中毒。尤其當馬鈴薯發芽時，茄鹼會增加5～6倍，且茄鹼有熱穩定性，即使烹煮也難以破壞毒性，若吃到可能導致嘔吐、腹痛、腹瀉等急性中毒症狀。因此，當家中的馬鈴薯發芽了，還是建議整顆丟掉，不要只將發芽部分挖除。

10. How long can vegetables be kept? How can vegetables to kept to maintain its freshness?

Generally, it is recommended vegetables to be consumed within 3 days. When you get vegetables, discard the packed plastic and put inside fridge vertically. This will strengthen the vegetables. Be reminded, organic vegetables cannot be cut and kept. Cut vegetables will hasten loss of nutrient, easily oxidation and also increase the chance of intrusion by microorganisms, causing it to be rotten easily.

10. 菜可以收多少天？如何保存较为新鲜？

一般上建议3天内使用完毕。收到菜品后应一时间将包装袋去除，存放冰箱时将蔬菜竖着放入，这样使蔬菜的生命力更强，同时要切记，有机蔬菜不宜切开存放，切开后的有机蔬菜营养素会快速流失，还容易氧化，同时增加了微生物入侵的机会，容易造成变质腐烂。

11. Which type of vegetables do not need to be refrigerated?

Generally, vegetables with high content of sugar and come with rough and tough outer layer do not need to be refrigerated. This includes carrot, onion, sweet potatoes, yam, burdock etc. It is best to be stored at cool places. Especially rhizomes plants like potatoes, refrigerated will hasten the sprouting process.

It is important to preserve water for organic leafy vegetables. Also, we need to prevent the leaf from getting rotten. We may cover the root part with wet kitchen paper towel and put it inside refrigerator vertically with root facing down. This may reduce loss of water and lock the freshness. Most of lefty vegetables are suitable to be stored at between 0℃ to 5℃, but not lower than 0℃. Organic vegetables are best to be kept in around 85% humidity condition.

As a summary

• Remove packed package and store vertically
• Cut vegetable will hasten rotten process.
• It’s best to store high sugar content and tough outer surface vegetable at cool place
• Cover root of leafy vegetables with wet kitchen paper towel
• Store in refrigerator vertically to lock its freshness
• The best condition is between 0℃ to 5℃ with 85% humidity

Fresh food has very limited storage time even with good storage skill. Hence, it is the best to consume them as soon as you have received organic vegetables.

11. 什么蔬菜不必放冰箱？

一般来说，含糖分多、表皮较硬较厚实的蔬菜如萝卜、洋葱、地瓜、芋头、牛蒡等，不要放入冰箱中，寻找阴凉处存放较佳，根茎类蔬菜如马铃薯，如果放在冰箱中反而更容易发芽。

叶菜类有机蔬菜最重要的就是要留住水分，同时又要避免叶片腐烂。可以把厨房纸巾沾湿后将叶菜包裹住，以直立的姿势，茎部朝下放入冰箱保鲜室，可以减缓水分流失，锁住新鲜。绝大部分叶菜喜凉，适宜存放在0℃至5℃的环境中，但不能低于0℃。保存有机蔬菜适宜存放的湿度为85%左右。

四句有机蔬菜贮存小口号，蔬菜保鲜没烦恼 ~

• 去除包装竖着放，切开存放易腐烂。
• 糖多皮厚根茎类，阴凉存放更健康。
• 厨巾粘湿裹叶菜，直立冷藏锁新鲜。
• 冷藏温度有学问，0℃至5℃为较佳。

生鲜食品，不管怎么保存，有效保存的时间都是很短的，所以，收到有机蔬菜后，还是以尽早食用完毕为宜。

12. Why is the shape of spinach not nice?

Spinach, according to its seed form, can be categorized into 2 types, i.e with thorn and without thorn.

Thorn type

Seeds are rhombus in shape. Leaf is smaller and thin, halberd-headed or arrow in shape. It is soft and less astringent, suitable for edible (sharp leaf type). High tolerance for high temperature and low temperature, short mature period, early bolting.

Without Thorn type (Garden leafy type)

Seeds are irregular round shape and without thorn. Leaf is bigger, large and ruffle, egg round, oval or irregular in shape with short petiole. Low tolerance for high temperature, Late bolting. Suitable for overwintering cultivation.

12. 为什么波菜形状不美？

菠菜按种子形态可分为有刺种与无刺种两个变种。

有刺种 :

果实菱形有刺，叶较小而薄，戟形或箭形，因质地柔软，涩味少，适于食用（尖叶类型）。耐寒力耐热力较强，早熟、抽苔早。

有刺种 :

果实为不规则的圆形、无刺、叶片肥大、多皱褶、卵圆形、椭圆形或不规则形，叶柄短、耐热性较弱、抽苔较晚、适于越冬栽培。

13. Which type of vegetables are suitable to be eaten raw?

Some organic vegetables are best to be eaten raw. For example, organice coral lettuce，organic carrot etc. Eaten raw can reduce loss of nutrient and easier to be absorbed by body.

13. 哪些蔬菜适合生吃？

有些有机蔬菜更适合生吃，比如：有机生菜、有机胡萝卜等，因为生吃可以减少营养损耗，让人体更易吸收。