Red bananas, black apricots and purple carrots are becoming a common sight on British grocery store shelves. Other products once regarded as exotic, such as lychees and starfruit, are also now commonplace, the Sunday Times of London reported. The newspaper said the unusual fruits and vegetables are part of Britain’s growing taste for sophisticated food. Critics, however, say the strange fruits and vegetables are designed to increase profits at large supermarkets and hurt small greengrocers with less sophisticated supply networks. Red bananas at one grocery store cost $2.60 for four, earlier this month, the newspaper said. Last year, another store unveiled a yellow-fleshed watermelon for $8.38. David Hampsey, assistant secretary of the National Vegetable Society, said home vegetable gardens were being transformed as amateurs imitated the supermarkets and tried to grow new vegetables at home. © Copyright 2006 by United Press International

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