The core was variable in its appearance, ranging from a continuous linear configuration to a spiralized structure or a discontinuous, particulate structure.

Referring to his spiralized zucchini “spaghetti,” tossed in a raw sauce of blended pine nuts and onions, he said, “Close your eyes and you think it’s pasta.”

I have never even been in the same room as a spiralised courgette.

Can anyone tell me what is attractive about a flabby, flavourless spiralised strip of courgette?

Retailers say increasing numbers of dieting consumers are turning to ready-prepared spiralised vegetables in order to get back into shape after the festive season blowout.

Italian eaterie Bella Italia has just become the first major restaurant chain to introduce spiralised vegetables to its menus.

It is about to launch a spiralised butternut squash and exotic mooli - a crunchy vegetable similar to radish - in its stir-fry range.

In May last year Tesco became the first UK supermarket to start selling a range of prepared spiralised vegetables, which have become a popular substitute for pasta and rice.

Spiralised vegetables became big business last year after being championed by food bloggers such as Hemsley & Hemsley, who suggest eating courgetti, instead of pasta, with beef ragu or red pesto.

"With spiralised vegetable 'spaghetti' more on-trend than ever, we wanted to create a number of dishes to incorporate this ingredient and offer customers healthy choices at the same time," said executive chef Vittorio Lettieri.

"This is the first January that ready-prepared spiralised vegetables have been available on UK high streets and, judging by the rocketing demand, many people have made them part of their new-year diet regimes to lower their carb intake," said Tesco prepared-vegetable buyer Emma Bonny.