Category Archives: News
The Packer Names Importer of the Year
McALLEN, Texas — Jimmy Bassetti, founder and owner of J&D Produce Inc., Edinburg, receivedThe Packer’s 2013 Importer of the Year Award March 7 at the America Trades Produce conference. “He has a really broad perspective about the industry,” said Bret Erickson, president of Mission-based Texas International Produce Association, which co-sponsors the event in cooperation with the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas, Nogales, Ariz. To see the rest of this story, click the following link: The Packer names Importer of the Year For further information, visit www.thepacker.com
Eating Fruits and Vegetables Makes You Calmer, Happier, More Energetic
By: ISHS Secretariat Study suggests many apples a day keep the blues at bay. Eating more fruit and vegetables may make young people calmer, happier and more energetic in their daily life, new research from the University of Otago (New Zealand) suggests. Department of Psychology researcher Dr Tamlin Conner, and Dr Caroline Horwath and Bonnie White from Otago’s Department of Human Nutrition, investigated the relationship between day-to-day emotions and food consumption. The study is published in the British Journal of Health Psychology, Thursday, 24 January 2013. A total of 281… Read More →
White Delight: New Peach Varieties Released for Warmer Climates
By: Kathleen Phillips COLLEGE STATION – Southerners who have been anxiously awaiting a peach tree that will produce in warmer climates – just chill. Four new varieties being released for production in nurseries this year will soon be available for growers where cold temperatures – a necessity for peach trees – are less likely, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Research stone fruit breeder Dr. David Byrne. “This is a first,” Byrne said. “These are unique because there are few low-acid white peaches available to be grown in… Read More →
Farmers Markets Driving Tomato Research
By: Rod Santa Ana WESLACO – The emergence of farmers markets in the Lower Rio Grande Valley has led to new research that shows planting dates affect the productivity of organic tomatoes, according to an expert at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center at Weslaco. “Just a few years ago, between Brownsville and Rio Grande City, there were no farmers markets anywhere,” said Dr. Raul Villanueva, an AgriLife Extension entomologist. “Now, there are seven or eight that are all doing very well. The demand for fresh,… Read More →
Optimists Eat More Veggies
People who have high blood levels of healthy plant compounds, known as carotenoids, also tend to be more optimistic about the future, a new study has found. Links between psychological health and physical health have long been recognized by researchers. However, most research has focused on poor psychological functioning, such as how being depressed or anxious may be bad for health, according to lead study author Julia Boehm, a research fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. To read more of this article by Lindsey Konkel in Live Science,… Read More →
Scientist Spotlight
If you are interested in reading the full papers for Dr. Jayaprakasha’s featured articles, the links can be found below. Studies on the Antioxidant Activity of Pomegranate (Punica granatum) Peel and Seed Extracts Using in Vitro Models Antioxidant activity of grape seed (Vitis vinifera) extracts on peroxidation models in vitro Inhibition of Prostate Cancer (LNCaP) Cell Proliferation by Volatile Components from Nagami Kumquats
Introducing Microgreens: Younger, And Maybe More Nutritious Vegetables
We’ve come to accept the baby-fication of our vegetables – baby spinach, baby lettuce, and baby squash prized for their tenderness and cute size have staked out territory in the produce section of many a grocery store. Now, growers (and a few inventive chefs) have decided we need vegetables that are even more juvenile than babies — seedlings so small, and so young, they’re called microgreens. The advantages of these tiny leaves less than 14 days old are many, their proponents say. They make vibrantly hued garnishes to… Read More →
US Centre Sees Cure in Usual Greens
A US-based university has found medicinal values in vegetables grown in Karnataka. Studies conducted over two decades at Texas A&M University show that consumption of carrot, onion, chilli and lemon grown in Karnataka can reduce the risk of cancer. According to the studies, lemon can reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, carrot can prevent breast cancer, onion and chilli prevent colon cancer. The Vegetable & Fruit Improvement Centre of the University has been conducting the studies since 1991. So far, the Centre has published over 50 research… Read More →