Archive For The “Health” Category
In case you haven’t noticed strawberries in retail supermarket are costing about 30 percent more, or about a dollar more per 16 ounce claimshell package, than only a few weeks ago. After a summer of plentiful supplies, this is the time of year when strawberry production is in a transition from the bountiful fields at Watsonville, CA to areas further south, such as Ventura and Orange counties, as well as in Mexico. It will be the first of the year before supplies increase, and perhaps some break in what you are paying in the stores.
Long gone are days of 99-cent-per-pound apples. Yet, this fruit is one of the better buys in produce departments. Despite a freeze wiping out the vast majority of apples in Michigan last spring, plus cold weather hitting New York apples hard, the nation should have nine percent more apples than a year ago – thanks to a humongous crop in Washington state. Still it depends on the variety, what you will pay. For example, two of my favorites, the Gala and the fuji apples are selling at my store for $1.77 per pound. However, another favorite of mine, the Ambrosia apples, costs about 50 percent more.
Table grapes have been another wonderful eating experience this year. California’s crop has been so sweet and cruncy I sure hate to see the season end. I’m noticing the late season grapes from California are not quit as good as the super tasting product that has been available for month. Grapes also have been one of the best buys in the produce department. The California product will soon be replaced by grapes from Chile. We can only hope Chile has as good a crop.
Other good buys in the produce department continue to be bananas and kiwifruit.
Fresh fruit and vegetable retail prices in 2012 were generally lower, according to a recently released government report.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reports lower fruit and vegetable prices resulting in overall retail prices for food being kept in line through October this year.
From January through October , average food-at-home prices have been flat because deflation in the fresh fruit and vegetable arena and lower prices for milk and pork, the USDA ERS said in a food price outlook report issued in late November. By contrast, beef, veal, poultry, fat and oil prices have been higher.
The inflation forecast for both all food and food-at-home prices in 2012 is 2.5 to 3.5 percent. Lower prices were particularly pronounced for vegetables in 2012, according to the USDA ERS.
The fresh vegetable consumer price index increased 0.6 percent, however it has dropped about every month in 2012. Compared with 2011 year ago, fresh vegetable prices are down 3.2 percent on average, due primarily by a 10.9 percent drop in potato prices, a 4.1 oercent decline in lettuce and a 1.7 percent slide in tomato prices. Other fresh vegetable prices were down 0.7 percent.
Warmer weather and favorable growing conditions in 2012 combined to increase yield and lower prices compared with year-ago levels.
An expected seasonal increase in prices during the second half of 2012 has been less than predicted, and because of that the USDA now expects fresh vegetable prices to fall 4 percent to 5 percent in 2012. The fresh fruit price index is up 2.1 percent from October 2011, and the USDA projected fresh fruit prices for 2012 are now projected to fall between 1 percent and 2 percent.
Compared with October 2011, the USDA said retail apple prices are up 6.4 percent, with banana prices 1.4 percent lower, citrus prices 0.1 percent higher and other fresh fruit commodities up 1.3 percent in retail price.
Prices increases overall of 3 to 4 percent for fresh produce is projected in 2013 by the USDA. The agency sees an increase of 3 to to 4 percent for fresh fruit and 4 to 5 percent for fresh vegetables.
Overall food price inflation for 2013 is projected between 3 and 4 percent. Prices for food served away from home are projected to increase 2.5 to 3.5 percent in 2013, while prices for food served at home are expected to increase 3 to 4 percent.
Apple marketers from around the world have joined forces to bring red-flesh apples to market within five years.
In October, 12 marketers from five continents created IFORED, a consortium whose goal is to produce and market several varieties of red-flesh apples.
The new company is an offshoot of Angers, France-based International Fruit Obtention (IFO), a company dedicated to the development of new fruit varieties.
Representing North America in IFORED is Next Big Thing, a grower cooperative formed by Lake City, Minn.-based Pepin Heights Orchards in 2006 to grow and market the SweeTango apple variety. Next Big Thing is made up of about 45 U.S. and Canadian growers.
Next Best Thing’s president, Tim Byrne, attended the October meeting in France where IFORED was formed. He estimated that 85-90 percent of his growers will grow red-fleshed varieties, and said they should be on North American retail shelves in four or five years.
“There’s some real strong commercial promise” in several of the 22 red-flesh varieties Byrne and four other Next Big Thing representatives tried in France in October, he said.
In addition to the distinctive flesh color, several varieties feature unique flavors, including notes of strawberries, mangoes and citrus, Byrne said.
The first North American test plots of red-flesh apples will be planted by Next Big Thing growers next spring, Byrne said.
IFO has worked for 20 years on its red-flesh varieties. Varieties expected to go into production were chosen for their low astringency, large size, increased sugar content, more uniform appearance and improved internal quality, storage and shelf-life.
Varieties have different levels of sweetness and tanginess, and different colored flesh and skin. Flesh colors range from 30 percent pink to full red. Skin colors include red, orange, yellow and bi-colored.
Strawberries continue to be a favorite of consumers, as well as other berries ranging from raspberries to blueberries and blackberries. The popularity of each continues to increase. The fruit not only is tasty, but healthy.
The agricultural lending company Rabobank sees retail berry sales continuing to incrase by seven percent annually for the next three years.
Rabobank’s Food and Agribusiness Research and Advisory group recently released a report, titled “The U.S. Fresh Berry Boom — Who Will Profit from the Growth?”
No surprising is the report notes California will continue to be the leading producer of fresh berries for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Sharpest gains in recent years have been with strawberries and blueberries.
California produces 88 percent of the country’s fresh strawberries and significant portions of fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. Florida is also a significant producer of fresh berries.
During the fall and winter months strawberry and blueberry importes from Mexico and Chile compete directly with Florida’s season. Chile now accounts for over 50 percent of imported blueberries.
Consumers are now purchasing more berries that been grown south from British Columbia and continuing all the way south along the coast to Chile. This shift will continue following seasonal patterns, but also seeing increased volume in the more southern regions.
Over the past five years, California has shown tremendous growth in strawberry production the past five years. In 2008, the state produced 114 million cartons of strawberries, which grew to 181 million cartons in 2010. In 2011, volume actually slipped to 178 million cartons but this year, but in 2013, the total volume should be in the 190 million carton range.
The majority of those gains come from increased yields. California’s strawberry acreage totalled 36,519 acres in 2008, but was down to 37,732 acres this year.
It is a different story for blueberries. Worldwide statistics show total world acreage of blueberries has grown significantly over the years. It has quadrupled in the past 15 years and now sits near 200,000 acres with most of that being in North and South America. The Americas represent close to 80 percent of the world’s blueberry acreage and production.
More consumers are realizing the healthy benefits of eating nuts.
A record crop of around 550 million pounds of pistachios is projected as the 2012 harvest nearing completion. Pistachio growers in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are expecting huge demand from consumers.
There are currently about 250,000 acres of pistachios planted in the four states (98 percent of that is in California), and currently only 145,000 acres are producing crops. Based on industry data, the current plantings are expected to boost the crop size to 800 million pounds by 2016, double what it was in 2009.
About 60 percent of the total USA pistachio volume is exported mostly to China and to the European Union.
In the USA there are sponsorships of the American men’s and women’s water polo teams. The women’s team won the gold medal at the recent London Olympics.
There also continues to be sponsorship of the Miss California Pageant, with the idea of tying in with Miss California on the beauty and fitness side of eating pistachios.
The pistachio industry also is involved in sponsoring various nutrition and health studies. Previous studies have focused on benefits to cardiovascular health and on lowering of cholesterol by eating pistachios.
Pistachios are not alone in the nut category in terms of experiencing growing global demand. All tree nuts, whether it be almonds or walnuts or pistachios, seem to be doing well.
Strong fresh produce sales are predicted for the autumn holiday season, 
according to a recent forecast by a retail analyst, based in Chicago. (This should also bode well for produce haulers because more product should be available.)
The report from the Nielsen Perishables Group says momentum is good following a solid summer selling season.
35 of 44 fresh produce categories posted volume gains in the summer of 2012, in large part because there were no significant losses of crops or food safety issues, according to the report.
The Nielsen Perishables reported both volume and sales of fresh produce were up 4 percent compared with the same period a year ago, for the 13 weeks ending August 25th.
Retailers offer smaller discounts on fresh produce items, which the Nielson report believes led to the volume of fresh fruits and vegetables purchases on promotions declining last summer.
Cherries were among the most successful produce items becasue of a huge 2012 crop driving a 20% growth in sales, the report notes.
There was nearly a 30 percdent price drop in avocados, driving sales up an anstounding remarkable 46percent. Value-added vegetables were also strong performers, with new products boosting sales, according to the report.
Nielsen projects continued strength in the fresh produce department for fall retail produce sales.
For produce alone, Nielsen forecasts holiday dollar and volume sales to grow 5 percdent and 4 percent respectively. Consumers may be troubled by economic uncertainty revolving around November elections.
“If consumers revert to their focus on price, expect to see steeper discounts designed to draw in shoppers during the vital holiday season,” according to the report.
Vancouver, British Columbia – Apple lovers will have a new variety to sink their teeth into that is set to debut in select stores this fall. It’s named the Salish™.
“This is a delicious example of government and industry working together to deliver new market opportunities to our farmers,” said MP Cannan. “When you taste the Salish™ apple, you are sampling the sweet rewards of many years of research and investments in innovation that will pay off for the farmers that grow this tasty achievement.”
The Salish™ is tangy, juicy and very crisp. It is medium-sized, with a pinkish red blush over a yellow background colour. The apple has characteristics that appeal not only to consumers, with its high quality appearance, texture and flavour, but also those that Canadian apple growers seek, such as its late harvest date, good storage and shelf life, high yields and good growth habits for high-density orchards.
“With already 15 orchardists committed to growing the Salish™, we look forward to having increased production year after year,” stated John Kingsmill, General Manager & CEO of PICO. “This delightful apple holds the promise of being one of the best.”
BACKGROUND
About the Salish™
The Salish™ is named for the Canadian Interior language of Thompson, Okanagan-Colville, and Shuswap. AAFC researchers at the Pacific Agri-Food Centre (PARC) in Summerland led the Salish’s™ development and worked closely with the Okanagan Plant Improvement Corporation (PICO) to test it with growers.
The Salish™ consistently scored very well in formal sensory panels, thanks to its tangy, juicy flavour and crisp texture. In a joint project with AAFC’s breeding program and PICO, PARC’s sensory program ran additional consumer tests at the UBC Apple Festival. The Salish™ generated a lot of positive response, with festival goers returning to ask for it specifically. A few specialty stores in the Vancouver area have also created a loyal following for the apple.
Limited quantities of the Salish™ will be available for sale at select stores in Greater Vancouver and Kelowna this fall. (See list of retailers at www.picocorp.com/media.)
Apple Production in British Columbia
In 2011, BC produced about 24 percent of the apples grown in Canada and was the third largest producer after Ontario and Quebec. The total marketed production from BC in 2011 was 96,614 metric tons with a farm gate value of C$36.7 million. This represented about 26percent of the national farm gate value of apples in 2011 (Statistics Canada).
About 60percent of all planted land in BC orchards is planted with apple trees. Nearly 92 percent of the apple crop is sold fresh, with British Columbians consuming around 25% of the apples grown in BC. The rest of the crop is processed, with apple juice being the most popular product.
Of the $14.4 million in fresh apples exported from BC, 74 percent went to the U.S.
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
While overall food prices rose slightly in September, fresh produce prices actually declined.
According the Consumer Price Index issued by The Commerce Department, there was a .4 percent drop in fruit and vegetables prices in September, comapred to August. This resules from a .9 percent drop in frest fruit prices. September overall consumer food prices were .1 percent higher, following a .2 percent increase in August.
The USA average retail price in September for fresh oranges was $1.30 per pound, down from $1.44 per pound in September 2011. The red delicious apple USA average retail price in September was $1.53 per pound, up from $1.51 per pound this time last year. The average retail banana price was 60 cents, down from 61 cents per pound at the same time a year ago.
Fresh vegetable prices increased .8 percent in September compared with August. However the Commerce Department said the fresh vegetable index is still 4.9 percent below year-ago levels.
Fresh potato prices in September were down 1.9 percent from August and 13.6 percent below 2011 levels. Retail prices for lettuce were up 1.1 percent above August but 3.4 percent down from 2011, the report read.
While fresh tomato prices in September were up 2.9 percent from the previous month, it was 4.9 percent lower than a year ago. levels. The average retail price for tomatoes in September was $1.38 per pound, down from $1.50 per pound the same time a year ago, according to the report.
During recent years the sales of sweet potatoes (also known as yams) have grown by about 20 percent per year. The product is a staple in food magazines, cookbooks and on television shows.
According to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration the orange flesh sweet potato is the only major vegetable that contains four nutrients that exceed 10 percent of the recommended daily amount.
These four nutrients are vitamin A (beta carotene), vitamin C, fiber and potassium.
Researchers at the University of Ulm in Germany recently released a study stating serum concentration of the antioxidants vitamin C and beta carotene were shown to be significantly lower in patients with mild dementia than in control persons. This opens the door to the possibility of influencing Alzheimer’s dementia by a person’s diet or dietary antioxidants.
It also has been reported previoiusl that the orange fleshed sweet potato is the most nutritional fresh produce item on the planet.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest names sweet potatoes the No. 1 most nutritious food because they are loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium and fiber.
Sweet potatoes also are city as a leading food item in ending world hunger? Apparently, they are. A grassroots advocacy and campaigning organization that fights extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa, has a campaign in action now that aims to do just that.
The project demonstrates how, by providing much-needed nutrients like vitamins C, A and B6 to undernourished children, sweet potatoes are helping to avert stunting and ensuring proper growth. In addition, sweet potatoes are cheap to produce and they are easy to grow in uncertain conditions: perfect for regions prone to drought and famine.
Eating an apple a day might in fact help keep the cardiologist away, according 
to research from Ohio State University.
In a study of healthy, middle-aged adults, consumption of one apple a day for four weeks lowered by 40 percent blood levels of a substance linked to hardening of the arteries.
Taking capsules containing polyphenols, a type of antioxidant found in apples, had a similar, but not as large, effect.
The study, funded by an apple industry group, found that the apples lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL — low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” cholesterol. When LDL cholesterol interacts with free radicals to become oxidized, the cholesterol is more likely to promote inflammation and can cause tissue damage.
“When LDL becomes oxidized, it takes on a form that begins atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries,” lead researcher Robert DiSilvestro, professor of human nutrition at Ohio State University and a researcher at the university’s Ohio Agricultural Research & Development Center, said in a press release. “We got a tremendous effect against LDL being oxidized with just one apple a day for four weeks.”
The difference was similar to that found between people with normal coronary arteries versus those with coronary artery disease, he said
The study is published online in the Journal of Functional Foods and will appear in a future print edition.
DiSilvestro described daily apple consumption as significantly more effective at lowering oxidized LDL than other antioxidants he has studied, including the spice-based compound curcumin, green tea and tomato extract.
“Not all antioxidants are created equal when it comes to this particular effect,” he said.
DiSilvestro first became interested in studying the health effects of eating an apple a day after reading a Turkish study that found such a regimen increased the amount of a specific antioxidant enzyme in the body.
In the end, his team didn’t find the same effect on the enzyme, but was surprised at the considerable influence the apples had on oxidized LDL.
For the study, the researchers recruited nonsmoking healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 60 who had a history of eating apples less than twice a month and who didn’t take supplements containing polyphenols or other plant-based concentrates.
In all, 16 participants ate a large Red or Golden Delicious apple purchased at a Columbus-area grocery store daily for four weeks; 17 took capsules containing 194 milligrams of polyphenols a day for four weeks; and 18 took a placebo containing no polyphenols. The researchers found no effect on oxidized LDLs in those taking the placebo.
The study also found eating apples had some effects on antioxidants in saliva, which has implications for dental health, DiSilvestro said. He hopes to follow up on that finding in a future study.
The study was conducted as a master’s thesis by graduate student Shi Zhao, and was funded by a grant from the U.S. Apple Association/Apple Product Research and Education Council and a donation from Futureceuticals Inc. of Momence, IL.
Also involved in the study were associate professor Joshua Bomser and research associate Elizabeth Joseph, both in the Department of Human Nutrition, which is housed in the university’s College of Education and Human Ecology.