“Can I get this apple freeze dried?”

Soaring fruit and vegetable prices and concerns about quality are prompting shoppers to look for alternative ways to get their daily fruit and veggie intake.

Australian food company Super Sprout, which produces 100 per cent pure freeze dried fruit and vegetable powders, has recorded a spike in enquiries following price hikes in the wake of rain, floods and Cyclone Yasi.

Consumers are also calling the company concerned about further price rises under the federal government’s looming carbon tax, Super Sprout director Melinda Richards said.

“Recent natural disasters have exacerbated the price of fresh fruit and veggies and many people now won’t buy fresh produce,” Melinda said. “And with talk of prices set to rise further under the carbon tax, people are becoming even more concerned about food affordability.

“Shoppers are also telling us they are worried about quality because it can be months before fruit and vegetables reach their kitchens after they have been picked, transported, stored and displayed.

“Consumers are increasingly looking for an alternative to counter rising prices and poor quality and are embracing freeze dried fruit and vegetable powders as a revolutionary new way to eat.”

Super Sprout offers 10 freeze dried powders which have the same benefits as fresh produce, with only water and moisture removed from fruit and veggies during the production process.

The powders include new “super foods” broccoli sprouts and barley grass sprouts which can be used in recipes including casseroles, soups, sauces, cakes, salads, juices and smoothies. A teaspoon of powder is equivalent to 10 teaspoons of fresh produce.

“Because the powders are concentrated, a daily apple can be replaced with a couple of teaspoons of apple powder as a juice in the morning,” Melinda said.

“Strawberry powder can be added to milk or sprinkled over ice cream and yoghurt while carrot, beetroot and broccoli sprout powder can be used in pasta sauces and soups, which is particularly good for kids who are fussy eaters.

“The powders are just as fresh as the real thing, can be easily stored in the cupboard for up to two years and cheaper in the long run.”

Super Sprout powders come in broccoli sprout, wheatgrass sprout, barley grass sprout, beetroot, apple, lemon, strawberry, carrot, ginger and blueberry. A 150g tub is priced from $24.95.

“With research showing that more than six in 10 Australian adults and about a quarter of children are either overweight or obese, it’s more important than ever to make healthier choices about our food.”