Gone are the days when women were the most health-conscious consumer group because the fascination with vegetables and fruit is now catching the eye of Japanese men increasingly keen to learn more about these rich sources of nutrients.
The domestic media have coined the term "vegetable and fruit sommelier" for a person with expertise in such products. These people help general consumers understand the intricacies of selection, storage, preparation and nutritional value.
Until recently, the experts were mainly women, but the recent emergence of popular comedian Atsushi Tamura as a vegetable sommelier has highlighted the growing popularity of this new accreditation among men.