No.17 download pdf 152kb - Vegetable Growers Association of ...

Main areas of work Market evaluation Selection and breeding of vegetables with highhealth benefits. Genetic engineering is not used Investigate how vegetables produce healthbenefits in humans Production methods to achieve high levels ofbeneficial compounds Postharvest handling to retain quality and healthbenefits after harvest. The Crop & Food Research (NZ) scientists arestudying the underlying mechanisms that controlquality of vegetables. Processing and food ingredients from vegetables.Progress so far… Broccoli and other brassica vegetables with highlevels of anti-cancer and anti-oxidant compoundshave been selected. These are currently being tested for postharvestshelf life and to assess how they grow andproduce these valuable compounds in differentclimates. We are also exploring a broad range of othervegetables to find ones that have specific healthbenefits, good quality and shelf life for whole andminimally processed vegetables and salads. We have tested ways of improving the levels ofhealthy compounds in the vegetables by alteringgrowing conditions, including fertilisers, water andsalt stress.Are you on our mailing list?If you would like to receive your own copy of VegetableMatters-of -Facts or have changed your address, pleasemail or fax this coupon to:Craig Murdoch, Private Bag 15, Ferntree GullyDelivery Centre 3156; Fax (03) 9800 3521.Name: ________________________________________Address: ______________________________________Postcode___________ Email _____________________Organisation/Business ___________________________Crops of interest_________________________________For more information please contact yourlocal VegCheque officer.Neville Fernando Gippsland 5152 0600Sally-Ann Henderson Northern Vic 5051 4500Bruce Fry South West Vic 5233 5510Craig Murdoch Melbourne 9210 9354Some ResultsThe clearest results to date are that high levels ofnitrogen fertiliser decrease the amount of healthycompounds. Postharvest treatments also have an effect onthe level of healthy compounds, but generally thehandling conditions that keep quality, alsomaximise the healthy compounds.Cooking causes about a 50% loss of the healthycompounds, depending on the method used.Some other processing methods also destroysome of the healthy compounds.We have tested the ability of the selectedbroccoli to increase the body’s natural defencesagainst cancer and our top variety is 2 to 3½times more effective than current commercialvarieties.Vital Vegetables, is a Trans Tasman research projectjointly funded and supported by Horticulture AustraliaLtd, New Zealand Institute for Crop and FoodResearch Ltd, the New Zealand Foundation forResearch Science and Technology, the AustralianVegetable and Potato Growers Federation Inc, NewZealand Vegetable and Potato Growers FederationInc and the Victorian Department of PrimaryIndustries.For more information: “Horticultural products as functional foods – aconsumer perspective” (market research). ($A 85)available from HAL, Level, 50 Carrington St Sydney2000 (Karen Hellwig 02 8295 2300) “Anti-oxidants – a health revolution” (healthbenefits of vegetables). ($NZ 19.95) available fromCrop and Food Research publications sales:http://www.crop.cri.nz/http://www.abc.net.au/rural/tas/stories/s922571.htmCheck us out and view our other fact sheets at:http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/agvic/ihd/projects/vchq.htmProject contacts:Euan Laird – AusVeg 03 97 969 166Bruce Tomkins – DPIV 03 92 109 209Dennis Richards - (Project Manager)03 5 681 618Vegetable Matters-of-Facts is published as part of DPI’s VegCheque extension program.Editor: Rob Dimsey, 03 5152 0600Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the state of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publicationis without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purpose and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss orother consequences which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.The State of Victoria, Department of Primary Industries, 2003. ISSN: 1445-5676