Broccolini was originally developed over eight years by the Sakata Seed Company of Yokohama, Japan. It was developed as a hybrid of broccoli and Chinese cabbage, rather than being genetically modified. Sakata partnered with Sanbon Incorporated in 1994 to begin growing the product commercially in Mexico under the name Asparation, implying a similarity to asparagus due to the slim, edible stem. After first becoming available in US markets in 1996, in 1998 Sakata began a partnership with Mann Packing Company in Salinas, California, and marketed the product as Broccolini. New forms of broccolini continue to be developed, including purple broccolini.
Description
Broccolini has a similar structure to sprouting-type broccoli. It grows to 80 centimeters, with a slender elongated stem that is 15–30 centimeters long. It is annual or biennial, herbaceous and glaucous.
Consumption
The entire vegetable is consumable. Its flavor is sweet, with notes of both broccoli and asparagus, although it is not closely related to the latter. Common cooking methods include sauteeing, steaming, boiling, and stir frying. According to a 2005 Horticulture Australia study, 78% of people in Australia steam broccolini, 53% stir fry it, and 3% eat it raw or in a salad. It is usually eaten steamed in Japan, where it is highly popular as a spring vegetable.
Nutrition
Broccolini is high in vitamin C and contains a significant amount of vitamin A and dietary fiber. One cup contains 37 calories with 105% of daily vitamin C intake, 39% of vitamin A needs and 15% of dietary fibre needs. Broccolini also contains potassium, calcium and iron in smaller amounts.
Production
Climate
Broccolini grows in cool climates and is intolerant of extreme climates. It is more sensitive to cold temperatures than broccoli but less sensitive to hot temperatures.
Growth and distribution
Broccolini takes 50–60 days to grow after being transplanted. It is harvested when the heads are fully developed but are not flowering. By cutting off the head, the harvest time is extended by four weeks as new shoots of smaller heads will grow. After being harvested, the plant is cooled to 0 °C, preventing the flower heads developing. Broccolini is grown near the central California coast during the spring, summer, and fall seasons and Yuma, Arizona, throughout the winter. It is sold throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as five states in Australia.
Produce reference
The International Federation for Produce Standards assigns it the price look-up code 3277, "baby broccoli". It is also known as asparation, asparations, "sweet baby broccoli", broccoletti, and broccolette "Italian Sprouting broccoli",. In Brazil, the common form of the wordbroccoli refers to broccolini; the more traditional broccoli is called "brócolis americano" or "brócolis ninja". It is sold under the registered trade marks BIMI and TENDERSTEM.
