A baby carrot is an immature carrot; or known as "baby-cut carrot" (mature carrot that has been cut and peeled in the "baby-cut" style. The immature roots of the carrot plant are preferred by some people out of the belief that they are superior either in texture, nutrition or taste. They are sometimes harvested simply as the result of crop thinning, but are also grown to this size as a specialty crop.

Then, I google-d other facts and stumbled upon various articles on baby carrots. I cited an article saying that baby carrots is not baby carrots. The editor affirmed that based on the legend, baby carrots is a result from waste and it's more expensive than the normal size carrot. The carrot was cut and peeled into small and cute baby carrot to boost sales as one of the marketing strategies. History told that the normal size carrot didn't sold much. Idea of marketing that the carrot was cut into small, tiny, cute and yet practicle is to ensure it attracts consumer. Another rumors saying that baby carrots only consists of 70% Beta Carotene than the normal size carrot.

The other website I found revealed an e-mail which spreading rumors on baby carrots. The e-mail flier claims baby carrots sold in supermarket pose a consumer health risk because of they're processed in Chlorine. However, the statement that the baby carrots were dipped in chlorine before sold out to the consumers and this may contribute to health risk is deemed to be false by the website review.

Analysis done by Dr Joe Schwarz contradicted the whole rumors. The chlorine is actually used to reduce bacteria that could cause foodborne illnesses. In futher, carrots are rinsed and not dipped nor preserved in the way that could retain the chlorine in the carrot but in the way that recommended by the FDA to kill bacteria such as salmonella and E.Coli. The carrots are whittled down from the misshapen carrot roots, which are not rotted or deformed. These mini carrots have the same nutrients as the normal size carrots.

References:

[1] Dickson, Andrea (2007). Web. Baby Carrots - The Frugal Idea That Isn't.

[2] Emery, David (2008). Web. Baby Carrots and Chlorine.

[3] Gelman, Lauren (2009). Web. Are Baby Carrots Preserved with Chlorine?

[4] Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2009). Web. Baby Carrot.

Even baby carrots carries its own rumors..what a laugh! Summary is, rumors cannot beat the science. Once you heard sumthin' bout anything, you should study or investigate the truth, then you know what to do. It's wrong to just follow the herd. End of this entry is, I can now eat the baby carrot with happy face :)