Posts Tagged “feature”
Consuming grapes may help protect bone health, according to research presented recently at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research annual meeting in Baltimore, Maryland. Natural components found in grapes are thought to be responsible for these beneficial effects.
The eight week feeding study, undertaken by Purdue University, was designed to investigate the long term benefits of grape consumption on bone health using an animal model for menopause. An earlier study had demonstrated short term benefits with grape intake in these animals.
The study results, presented by Emily Hohman of Purdue University, showed that animals consuming a grape-enriched diet had improved bone calcium retention compared to those fed the control diet without grapes. Additionally, the grape-fed group had greater femur cortical thickness and strength.
Approximately 57 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis or low bone mass, the effects of which can be debilitating. Until the age of thirty, our bones naturally rebuild themselves on a daily basis, but as we age, we begin to lose bone density. For women, this loss is accelerated during the transition to menopause. Bone mineral density loss during menopause – once attributed solely to the loss of estrogen – actually depends on a combination of factors.
“These results suggest that grapes can improve yet another important aspect of health – our bones,” said Dr. Connie Weaver, lead investigator of the study. “This is an exciting new area of grape research that merits additional focus and study.”
The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research is a professional, scientific and medical society established to bring together clinical and experimental scientists involved in the study of bone and mineral metabolism.
Source: California Table Grape Commission
Restaurants and other foodservice entities should be carrying more fresh fruits and vegetables on menus. Why? Because consumers want it.
About 4,000 consumers nationwide were surveyed and 600 foodservice operators were contacted by Datassential in May and June and conclude that ‘produce’ is now a hot food item. Foodservice operators are getting the message and plan to roll out more produce on menus soon.
Foodservice operators, or ‘operators’ for short, include away-from-home food establishments, including restaurants, universities, hospitals, lodging, catering, and others.
“The survey data says about 80 percent of consumers want restaurants to feature more produce on the menu,” said Maeve Webster, senior director of Datassential, Chicago, Ill..
“This is a fundamental shift in what (foods) consumers will eat away from home. It’s not just a fad.”
Freezing temperatures are slated to hit California’s Central Valley tonight (December 4) and stick around through Saturday. Whether this is a serious threat is too early to tell, and even if it is we’re looking at next week for any initial damage assessments.
The fruit needs a cold snap to finish ripening, but that typically comes during Christmas week. Growers will be watering the fields and getting the ground moisture up as a precaution.
Desert Vegetable Shipments
Good supplies of desert vegetables were available on basically all vegetables for the Thanksgiving and the same is expected through December, assuming the weather cooperates.
Produce truckers and growers are hoping warm weather continues and keeps the crops and shipments on schedule and produce good volume moving into the Christmas pull in mid-December.
Favorable weather actually has the crops are running a little bit ahead of schedule, but if it turns cold, things could change quickly.
We’ll keep an eye on the cold weather in the San Joaquin Valley and see if it not affects citrus shipments there, but grapes, as well as strawberries and other items in Southern California, plus the vegetables coming out of the California and Arizona deserts.
When talking potato shipments, one has to start with Idaho, since it is the “Washington apples” of the spud industry in America. Here’s a round up of several of the larger potato shipping areas across the USA.
Idaho’s 315,000 acres yielded more than 12.5 billion pounds of potatoes, about average for the past five years. The state is averaging about 2,000 truck load equivalents per week. A higher percentage of tubers goes by rail than with most fresh produce commodities.
Idaho potato shipments – grossing about $6000 to Boston.
In Colorado, the San Luis Valley has ended up with one of its best crop we’ve had in many years in terms of appearance, size and overall quality. The valley is averaging abouot 750 truck loads of potatoes a week.
San Luis Valley potato shipments – grossing about $1300 to Oklahoma City.
The third heaviest movement of potatoes is coming out of Central Wisconsin, which is averaging about 500 truck loads weekly. There’s also the Columbin Basin in Washington state and the adjancent Umatilla Basin in Oregon, which has similar volume to Wisconsin right now.
Wisconsin potato shipments – about $3000 to Atlanta.
Loading opportunities experience a pretty big drop in the following areas, compared to what was just covered.
Potatoes are being shipped out the Hereford district of far Western Texas. In Nebraska, two distant towns – O’Neill and Imperial, have light volume. Michigan also has light volume with spuds.
Finally, in the far upper northeast, Aroostrock County, Maine is loading about 150 truck loads of potatoes a week.
By the Alliance for Food and Farming
A new study from Colorado State University (CSU) shows that consumers continue to have concerns about the safety of conventionally grown produce and the government regulatory processes in place to protect public health. Among other findings, the study showed that: “A distrust in regulatory oversight is a key trigger in the valuation for local and organic.” And, consumers generally agreed with the statement that “eating organic lowers health risks.”
These findings are concerning since the body of nutrition science clearly shows that increased consumption of either conventional or organic produce results in better overall health and a longer life. Toxicological analyses also overwhelmingly show the safety of conventional produce – just look at the calculator function and accompanying report on safefruitsandveggies.com as an example. And, the perception that conventional produce is somehow inferior and less safe could have a negative impact on consumption, especially among lower income consumers who may not be able to afford the organic alternative.
Further, the expert panel report commissioned by the Alliance for Food and Farming (AFF) in 2010 examined the U.S. regulatory system in place to ensure food safety. The panel found: “The U.S. EPA’s current process for evaluating the potential risks of pesticides on food is rigorous and health protective. The EPA’s testing requirements for pesticides used on food are far more extensive than for chemicals in any other use category, and include testing targeted specifically to assess the potential risks to fetuses, infants and children.”
I have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. There is my beautiful family, not the least of which is our newest member, my first grandchild, Sawyer, born on November 1st. I am thankful to live in this great country. I’m thankful for my health. I could go on and on, but right now I want to focus on the trucking industry, why I am thankful for it, and in particular the small fleet owners and owner operators.
When folks think of the truck industry, they often relate to the large fleet operations. There are 2.7 million Class 8 trucks registered in the U.S. However of the 500,000 registered trucking companies, 97.2 percent are operations with 20 trucks or less.
HaulProduce.com focuses on the transportation of our nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables — produce haulers. While produce is a small segment of the overall trucking industry, it is so vital in providing healthy foods, on a timely basis to receivers across North America, who supply consumers.
Of that 97.2 percent of trucking companies previously mentioned, 90 percent have five trucks or less. In other words the owner operators and small fleet owners are the backbone of the distribution system in this great country!
While we tend to hear only of the delays at loading and unloading docks, the unfair claims, the excessive rules and regulations, every day thousands of loads are delivered on time and in good shape, without problems.
There is a need in a well rounded transportation system, not only for the medium and large truck lines, but the small fleets, owner operatiors – and yes truck brokers or third party logistics companies.
It is the small operations that provide the flexiblity, and service that is so vital in delivering perishable food products.
For this I am thankful. It is because of you I go to my local supermarket every week to find healthy, fresh food products.
God Bless. Wishing each of you a great Thanksgiving. — Bill Martin
A wireless temperature tracker, Emerald, that connects to smartphones through Bluetooth, has been introduced by Ryan Systems Inc.
The company’s TransCert divison of Canyon Lake, CA, is providing the product, which specializes in cold chain food safety and quality compliance for fresh produce and other cargo.
Emerald stores up to 4,000 temperature readings, according to a news release, and does not require dedicated computer equipment. The EmeraldView smartphone application connects via Bluetooth to program Emerald devices and view data. There’s also an option to upload information — including location information from the smartphone — for authorized parties to check online.
Two inches in diameter, Emerald supports temperature ranges of -40°C to +85°C (or F) and integrates. The battery is replaceable. The technology is remotely configured, includes alert capabilities and a free app download. Start, stop and read interval times are remotely set.
A 20% discount is offered through the end of 2013. Cloud data storage is optional.
“Emerald leverages today’s widespread use of smartphones to read temperature data and push it to the Cloud,” John Ryan, president of Ryan Systems, said in the release. “This provides a point-by-point tracking solution similar to those offered by national and international shipping services, without any heavy infrastructure or dedicated equipment.”
Even though Thanksgiving is a couple of days away, most orders by receivers now involve restocking after the big turkey feast.
Desert Vegetable Shipments
Here’s an update on desert shipments from Yuma, AZ and California’s Imperial Valley. Plus, here’s a glimpse at loading opportunities regarding Washington state apples and Idaho potatoes.
With San Joaquin Valley lettuce from the Huron district all but history, the head lettuce harvest has just started from Yuma, AZ, although shipments remain minimal. Yuma typically about starts about a week or two ahead of shipments from the Imperial Valley. Lettuce from there won’t get underway until around December 9th.
However, cauliflower, as well as some leafy greens have just started from Brawley in the Imperial Valley, with broccoli following in early December.
Celery will continue to be shipped out of Ventura County through the end of the year, when loadings then shift to the Imperial Valley.
Desert veggies, plus cantaloupe – grossing about $5200 to Atlanta.
Washington Apple Shipments
Never mind Washington apple shipments are down this season, it is still a huge crop and plentiful loading opportunities remain for at least the next six months. Yakima Valley apple shipments, as well as the Wenatchee Valley are shipping on average about 2,500 truck load equivalents of apples a week, and this doesn’t even include pear loadings.
Washington apples and pears – about $7000 to New York City.
Idaho Potato Shipments
Idaho also has fewer potato shipments this season, but there’s still plenty of tubers for hauling. Idaho is averaging about 2,000 truck load equivalents per week of potatoes.
Idaho spuds – about $2900 to Chicago.
Texas citrus shipments from the Lower Rio Grande Valley have moved into good volume…..In Florida, tomato loadings are underway, but will not hit decent volume until the end of November.
In Texas, there has been a major change in citrus shipping. Paramount Citrus of Delano, CA has acquired Rio Queen Inc. in Mission, TX and Healds Valley Farms Inc. in nearby Edinburg.
As a result, Paramount Citrus now owns 10,000 acres in the valley, plus is handling sales and marketing for 40 growers with another 10,000 acres.
About 60 to 70 percent of the Lower Rio Grande Valley citrus shipments this season will be through Paramount Citrus. Consolidations in south Texas have been occurring for the past 25 years. There are now just a handful or so companies that both grow and ship their own citrus.
About 85 percent of the valley’s citrus shipments are with grapefruit, with the balance being in oranges. Total citrus shipments from south Texas this season are expected to be slightly below that of a year ago, but still will be a good sized crop.
South Texas Citrus, plus Mexican produce – grossing about $2300 to Chicago.
Florida Tomato Shipments
Due to heavy September rains, Florida mature green tomato shipments will be down by about 25 percent from the Homestead and Palmetto-Ruskins areas. Loadings also are taking place later than normal this year. Shipments typically start in late October and hit volume in mid-November. This year, however, volume shipments are not expected to begin until late November. Florida tomatoes are shipped in 25-pound cartons.
South Florida produce shipments – grossing about $2400 to New York City.
The 2012 pesticide residue report has been released by The California Department of Pesticide Regulation, showing the bulk of items tested had no detectable pesticide residues.
Of the 3,501 samples collected at farmers markets, wholesale and retail outlets, and distribution centers, 57.5 percent had no residues. The samples included both domestically grown and imported produce.
An additional 38.9 percent of samples were within the legal tolerance levels, and 2.7 percent had illegal residues of pesticides not approved for use on that commodity.
The pesticide residues that exceeded established tolerances were less than one percent.
In total, 98 percent of all California-grown produce sampled by the department had pesticide residues within the legal limits.
Most of the samples with illegal residues were from other countries and contained very low levels.
In 2012, scientists most frequently found illegal residues on yardlong beans, limes, tomatillos and chili peppers from Mexico; snow peas from Guatemala; ginger from China and the United States; and spinach from the United States.
The report comes about a week after Dr. Oz aired a segment on his television show about pesticide residues titled, What the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know.
The show was “clearly designed to scare viewers and raise produce safety concerns,” according to a news release from the Watsonville, Calif.-based Alliance for Food and Farming.”
Oz and numerous other health experts have gone on record to encourage the public to consume more conventionally or organically grown produce to improve their health.