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August 22, 2008
· MOI seeks Holy Grail of biopesticides; organic Roundup
· ‘Risky’ Mexican peppers still found on the US market
· Nuke ‘em! FDA OK with irradiating spinach and lettuce
· Broccoli tops the list of health-promoting veggies
· New Mexico plans to go for record longest chili ristra
MOI seeks Holy Grail of biopesticides; organic Roundup
(The American Chemical Society) – With the boom in consumption of organic foods creating a pressing need for natural insecticides and herbicides that can be used on crops certified as "organic," biopesticide pioneer Pam G. Marrone, Ph.D., is reporting development of a new "green" pesticide obtained from an extract of the giant knotweed in a report scheduled for presentation at the 236th national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
That 12-foot-high Goliath, named for the jointed swollen
nodes on its stem, invaded the
The new biopesticide has active compounds that alert plant defenses to combat a range of diseases, including powdery mildew, gray mold and bacterial blight that affect fruits, vegetables, and ornamentals. The product will be available this October for conventional growers, according to Marja Koivunen, Ph.D., director of research and development for Marrone Organic Innovations. A new formulation has also been developed for organic farmers and will be available in 2009.
In one of the presentations by Marrone Organic Innovations (MOI), the progress toward discovery of an "organic Roundup" — the Holy Grail of biopesticide research — an environmentally friendly and natural version of the world's most widely used herbicide was discussed.
Biopesticides are derived from plants, microbes, or other natural materials and are proven to be safer for humans and the environment. The active ingredient in one of the company's first products, GreenMatch EX, came from lemongrass oil, and microorganisms from around the world are studied in the search for novel and effective natural pesticides. Currently, the MOI R&D team is working on an organic rice herbicide based on an extract from a marine microorganism, as well as on insecticides and nematocides to kill insect pests and soil-inhabiting, parasitic roundworms that affect plants and animals.
Although sales of synthetic pesticides dominate the $30 billion pesticide market, the use of biopesticides is increasing. Officials from MOI estimate that global sales will hit $1 billion by 2010 and grow 10 percent a year on average. Biopesticides could make up 4.25 percent of the global pesticide business in 2010, up from 2.5 percent in 2005. As they become more popular, synthetic pesticides are expected to shrink by 1.5 percent each year over the same period.
What accounts for the changing numbers? Public awareness, Koivunen said. "I think the time is right, there's more demand," she said. "People are becoming more aware of the negative effects of conventional pesticides. At the same time, growers are more willing to switch. They have more choices and incentive compared to 10 years ago."
All organic farmers must have markets for their food — markets that might not have been available to them a decade ago, Koivunen said. Why are people switching to organic food? "I think there has been enough scientific evidence that there's a difference between, let's say, conventional tomatoes and organic tomatoes in terms of pesticide residues but also improved taste and higher levels of antioxidants," she said.
Koivunen adds that the growing popularity of biopesticides and organic foods is not a fluke. In fact, it is part of a much larger development.
"I think it's a combination of the movement of green chemistry, trying to protect the environment and people's thoughts about their own health — maybe not even their health but their kids; and grandkids' health."
‘Risky’ Mexican peppers still found on
the US
(
Buyers tend to be small Hispanic grocers and mom and pop restaurants, while big supermarkets and restaurants shun the Mexican supply, distributors say.
"Mexican peppers still are selling," says Raul Ramirez, warehouse manager for Ramirez Bros., a Los Angeles-based distributor. "Our customers are asking for them."
Mexican peppers "are growing in prominence,"
agrees Will Steele, CEO of Frontera Produce, a large
importer of Mexican jalapenos. Frontera isn't
importing them from
The Food and Drug Administration warned last month that
consumers should avoid fresh jalapeno and serrano peppers from
Forty-pound boxes of U.S.-grown jalapenos sold at wholesale
for $25 to $35 a box on Tuesday vs. $14 to $16 for Mexican ones, Steele says.
Before the warning,
Fresh jalapenos are often used in fresh salsas.
Cooked, canned or pickled peppers are fine, the FDA says. Processing kills the bacteria.
Ramirez says about 25% of his Mexican pepper customers process them. Some importers test for salmonella, he says.
In June, fresh tomatoes were considered the likely outbreak culprit.
The focus turned to peppers in July but by then, "A lot
of buyers didn't really believe there was a threat," says Ruben Fernandez,
owner of Produce Express in
He says he's distributing Mexican jalapeno peppers to smaller stores and restaurants of all kinds.
Many consumers and retailers may not be aware of the
warning, says Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the
Imported volumes are likely to be small, says John McClung
of the Texas Produce Association.
The FDA hasn't banned the import of Mexican jalapenos and serranos, but it has increased testing at border checkpoints.
In recent weeks, it's restricted pepper imports from 12 Mexican firms because of salmonella, but not necessarily the outbreak strain.
Future shipments from those firms must test free of salmonella before the FDA will release them for sale.
Nuke ‘em! FDA OK with irradiating spinach and lettuce
WASHINGTON (AP) — Consumers worried about salad safety may soon be able to buy fresh spinach and iceberg lettuce zapped with just enough radiation to kill E. coli and a few other germs.
The Food and Drug Administration today will issue a new regulation allowing spinach and lettuce sellers to take that extra step, a long-awaited move amid increasing outbreaks from raw produce.
It doesn't excuse dirty produce, warned Dr. Laura Tarantino, FDA's chief of food additive safety. Farms and processors still must follow standard rules to keep the greens as clean as possible — and consumers, too, should wash the leaves before eating.
"What this does is give producers and processors one more tool in the toolbox to make these commodities safer and protect public health," Tarantino said.
Irradiated meat has been around for years, particularly ground beef that is a favorite hiding spot for E. coli. Spices also can be irradiated.
But the Grocery Manufacturers Association had petitioned the FDA to allow a list of fresh produce and other foods to be irradiated as well — starting with leafy greens that have sparked numerous recent outbreaks, including E. coli in spinach that in 2006 killed three people and sickened nearly 200.
The industry group wouldn't name salad suppliers ready to start irradiating. But it expects niche marketing to trickle out first — bags of spinach and lettuce targeted to high-risk populations such as people with weak immune systems "who right now may be afraid to eat uncooked produce," said GMA's chief science officer Robert Brackett.
"It's one big step forward in improving the safety of fresh produce," he added.
A leading food safety expert said irradiation indeed can kill certain bacteria safely — but it doesn't kill viruses that also increasingly contaminate produce, and it isn't as effective as tightening steps to prevent contamination starting at the farm.
"It won't control all hazards on these products," cautioned Caroline Smith DeWaal of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
She questioned why the FDA hasn't addressed her agency's 2006 call to require growers to document such things as how they use manure and ensure the safety of irrigation water. Irrigation is one suspect in this summer's nationwide salmonella outbreak attributed first to tomatoes and then to Mexican hot peppers.
"We are not opposed to the use of irradiation," DeWaal said. But, "it's expensive and it doesn't really address the problem at the source."
Won't zapping leafy greens with X-rays or other means of radiation leave them limp? Not with today's modern techniques and the right dose, the FDA decided.
The FDA determined that irradiation can kill E. coli, salmonella and listeria, as well as lengthen the greens' shelf life, without compromising the safety, texture or nutrient value of raw spinach lettuce.
E. coli actually is fairly sensitive to radiation, while salmonella and listeria require more energy. While irradiation doesn't sterilize, the FDA ruled that food companies could use a dose proven to dramatically reduce levels of those germs, a dose somewhat lower than meat requires.
But consumers shouldn't consider irradiation a panacea, either. While E. coli and salmonella tend to affect more people and make bigger headlines, consumer advocate DeWaal has found that norovirus contamination is a leading cause of produce outbreaks.
The irradiation rule goes into effect Friday. The FDA still is considering industry's petition to allow irradiation of additional produce. The grocery manufacturers group will push for other greens, such as Romaine lettuce, to be next, so that producers could irradiate bags of salad mixes.
While irradiated foods initially caused some consumer concern, FDA's Tarantino stressed that the food itself harbors no radiation.
"There is no residue, there's nothing left and certainly no radioactivity left," she said.
Broccoli tops the list of health-promoting veggies
(paramuspost.com) – Broccoli may not be
Scientists have isolated compounds from broccoli that appear to slow — or even
stop — the progression of bladder cancer. In a study conducted at
researchers found that men who ate two or more half-cup servings of broccoli
per week had a 44 percent lower incidence of bladder cancer than men who ate
less than one weekly serving of broccoli.
The compounds responsible for broccoli's cancer-fighting effect are isothiocyanates (ITCs) and sulforaphanes. Also found in other cruciferous vegetables,
including cabbage, kale and collard greens, sulforaphanes
appear to boost the body's defenses against cancer, while ITCs
have been shown to trigger cancer cell death.
If you haven't acquired a taste for broccoli spears, you might enjoy broccoli
sprouts. Sprouts are not only tender and tasty, they
offer approximately 30 times more cancer-fighting ITCs
and 50 times more sulforaphanes than mature broccoli.
Earlier this year, researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in
Whether you prefer your broccoli in the form of spears or sprouts, the best way
to eat it is raw. Because heat can destroy cancer-fighting ITCs,
cooked broccoli may provide 60 percent to 90 percent fewer ITCs
than the raw form of the vegetable.
The benefits of broccoli go well beyond offering protection against bladder
cancer. The results of a study published in The Journal of Nutrition suggest
that regular consumption of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may play
an important role in reducing the risk of breast cancer in pre-menopausal
women.
At the
Scientists have known for years that eating broccoli and other vegetables is
good for the heart. Most veggies are rich sources of heart-healthy compounds,
including vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants.
In a recent article published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry,
researchers reported that broccoli-fed animals had improved heart function and
less heart muscle damage after bouts of oxygen deprivation. The researchers
noted that broccoli benefits the cardiovascular system by boosting levels of a
protective protein called thioredoxin.
In a study funded by the National Cancer Institute, researchers at the
At Cancer Care
Regular consumption of broccoli offers excellent cancer protection, but the
protection provided by the combination of broccoli and tomatoes may be even
better. At the
The scientists concluded that different bioactive compounds in each of the
plant foods work on different anti-cancer pathways, producing a powerful
additive effect. Tomatoes are rich in the phytonutrient
lycopene, a red pigment with proven cancer-fighting properties.
While raw broccoli appears to offer greater cancer protection than cooked
broccoli, processed and heated tomato products may be more beneficial in
fighting prostate cancer than raw tomatoes. Slicing, dicing and heating
tomatoes make their cancer-fighting compounds easier for the body to absorb and
use.
At a time when only about 23 percent of American adults eat the recommended
five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day, most of us could stand to
boost our intake. The best way to get all the health-promoting benefits of
broccoli, tomatoes and other plant foods is simply to eat them.
Rallie McAllister is a board-certified family
physician, speaker and the author of several books, including "Healthy Lunchbox:
The Working Mom's Guide to Keeping You and Your Kids Trim." Her website is
www.rallieonhealth.com.
New
Mexico
Instead, New Mexicans will put their finger agility and string-tying skills to the test during an attempt to create the world's longest chile ristra using thousands of the state's red chile peppers.
The attempt, organized by the New Mexico Chile Commodity
Commission and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture, will take place Sept.
14 during the New Mexico State Fair in
"We're talking authentic
A ristra is the traditional method for drying red chile peppers in the dry Southwestern climate. The chile pods are tied together with string in an overlapping design and hung outside to dry before being used in red chile sauces and dishes.
Organizers are inviting all state fair visitors to take part in crafting the ristra, Ditmore said.
"Anybody can sign up to participate. We'll sign (the participants) in and once they complete certain stages of creating the ristra, we'll give them a Mardi Gras-type bead necklace with a chile on the end. We'll have a lot of fun," Ditmore said.
Witnesses and chile industry officials will be on hand to ensure the attempt follows Guinness World Records guidelines. The organizers will then submit the documentation to Guinness for consideration.
Guinness currently has a record on the books for the longest
chile string, created by James Johnson of
Jamie Panas,
After the ristra is complete, it will be draped and displayed around the agriculture building courtyard at the fairgrounds. Event sponsors will then have a chance to win the chile ristra and put it on display at their business for a year, Ditmore said.
End Transmission