[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help] 

Status: Not Logged In; Sign In

You Know What Happens Next

Cash Jordan: Half-Built Tower Abandoned… as ICE Deports Entire ‘Migrant Workforce’

Heavy rainfall causes flash flooding Tuesday night, some cars stuck in high water on Chicago's West

Biden Doctor PLEADS THE FIFTH, Refuses To Testify To Congress, Biden Pardons ARE VOID

Joe Rogan says FBI director Kash Patel played him for a fool and maga for fools with the Jeff Epstein files

Elon's AI System "Grok" Went Rogue And Has Been SHUT DOWN in an Emergency!

Earthquake Swarms at One of the MOST DANGEROUS Volcanoes in the USA

Ben Shapiro Declares Epstein Case CLOSED: ‘Facts on the Ground Have Changed’

Iran receives 40 Chinese J10-C Fighter Jets

China’s Railgun Is Now Battle-Ready, Thanks to Nuclear Power

Chinese Hypersonic Advancements! Deadly new missile could decimate entire US fleet in 20 minutes

Iran Confirms Massive Chinese HQ 9 B Missile Deal

Why Is Europe Hitting 114°F And Still Rising?

The INCREDIBLE Impacts of Methylene Blue

The LARGEST Eruptions since the Merapi Disaster in 2010 at Lewotobi Laki Laki in Indonesia

Feds ARREST 11 Leftists For AMBUSH On ICE, 2 Cops Shot, Organized Terror Cell Targeted ICE In Texas

What is quantum computing?

12 Important Questions We Should Be Asking About The Cover Up The Truth About Jeffrey Epstein

TSA quietly scraps security check that every passenger dreads

Iran Receives Emergency Airlift of Chinese Air Defence Systems as Israel Considers New Attacks

Russia reportedly used its new, inexpensive Chernika kamikaze drone in the Ukraine

Iran's President Says the US Pledged Israel Wouldn't Attack During Previous Nuclear Negotiations

Will Japan's Rice Price Shock Lead To Government Collapse And Spark A Global Bond Crisis

Beware The 'Omniwar': Catherine Austin Fitts Fears 'Weaponization Of Everything'

Roger Stone: AG Pam Bondi Must Answer For 14 Terabytes Claim Of Child Torture Videos!

'Hit Us, Please' - America's Left Issues A 'Broken Arrow' Signal To Europe

Cash Jordan Trump Deports ‘Thousands of Migrants’ to Africa… on Purpose

Gunman Ambushes Border Patrol Agents In Texas Amid Anti-ICE Rhetoric From Democrats

Texas Flood

Why America Built A Forest From Canada To Texas


Science/Tech
See other Science/Tech Articles

Title: Oxygen trick could see organic costs tumble
Source: EurekAlert
URL Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-06/soci-otc060607.php
Published: Jun 10, 2007
Author: SCI Press Office
Post Date: 2007-06-11 12:51:04 by farmfriend
Ping List: *Agriculture-Environment*     Subscribe to *Agriculture-Environment*
Keywords: organic, agriculture
Views: 755
Comments: 49

Oxygen trick could see organic costs tumble

Contact: SCI Press Office
press@soci.org
44-020-759-81548
Society of Chemical Industry

A simple, cheap treatment using just oxygen could allow growers to store organic produce for longer and go a long way towards reducing the price of organic fruit and vegetables, reports Lisa Richards in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI.

Currently UK shoppers have to pay twice as much for some organic products. Organic apples, for example, are around double the price of conventionally grown apples in Sainbury’s, Waitrose and Tesco.

One of the major contributing factors affecting the price is the short shelf life of organic produce. Conventional produce can be treated with inexpensive chemicals to aid preservation. But these cannot be used for organic produce, as by definition no artificial chemicals are used during processing.

‘With some organic fruit and veg, there can be large losses [during storage],’ Claudia Ruane, spokes person for Abel & Cole organic produce retailers told C&I. Ruane explained that although many organic farms do have reasonably sophisticated refrigeration units, there are very expensive and used only for brief storage before collection. ‘These are important and costly but if paying out for these facilities can ensure a whole crop is not rejected by a retailer because it is a little limp or dehydrated, then it is a cost that has to be absorbed,’ she said.

Edna Pesis and her team at the Volcani Center, Israel, have devised what they expect to be an effective and cheap technique to keep apples in cold storage for longer. A simple week long pre-treatment with low levels of oxygen at 20ºC was shown to prevent scald formation - a type of chilling injury associated with prolonged cold storage. Pesis said that 90% of the treated apples were ‘saved from the scald problem in addition to other physiological diseases,’ after eight months of cold storage. (Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture DOI: 10.1002/jsfa2873). 100% of untreated apples were lost after eight months.

Pesis says that the technique can be tweaked for use with avocados, tomatoes and other organic produce.

Although price is an issue, organic produce is becoming more and more attractive to the consumer because of increasing evidence that it may be the healthier option. Organic peppers for example have been found to have 33% and 26% higher levels of vitamin C and phenolic compunds, respectively, than conventional peppers(JSFA DOI: 10.1002/jsfa2966). A recent study also revealed organic kiwifruit to be healthier than conventional (DOI 10.1002/jsfa.2820; C&I Issue 8 March 2007).


Poster Comment:

An agriculture/environment ping list is now available. Subscribe to *Agriculture-Environment*

Post Comment   Private Reply   Ignore Thread  


TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest

Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 46.

#2. To: farmfriend (#0)

Organic peppers for example have been found to have 33% and 26% higher levels of vitamin C and phenolic compunds, respectively, than conventional peppers(JSFA DOI: 10.1002/jsfa2966).

Oh goodie. I grow those, too.

bluedogtxn  posted on  2007-06-11   13:19:54 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#15. To: bluedogtxn (#2)

Oh goodie. I grow those, too.

I grow my own - Organically. Along with Tomatoes, Melons of various kinds, Lettuce, Beans, and other vegetables. It pays to be a gourmet gardener.

Original_Intent  posted on  2007-06-11   13:59:11 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#23. To: Original_Intent (#15)

It pays to be a gourmet gardener.

It sure does!

We grow ONLY heirloom varieties (absolutely NO hybrids). This allows us to save seeds for the next year's crops (ALL heirlooms are open-pollinated varieties, but not all open-pollinated varieties are heirloom - seed can be saved from ANY open-pollinated variety). There are many heirloom varieties which are nearly impossible to find for sale, even at a farmer's market.

We have things like white tomatoes (which are a little "sweeter" than most other tomatoes), purple tomatoes (which are "spicier"), purple carrots (again, spicier - as a rule of thumb, purple veggies are "spicier" than their conventional counterparts), strawberry spinach (which isn't a true spinach, but tastes very similar), and Hopi Indian corn which is a blue colored "dent" corn - not "sweet" like Golden Bantam or Country Gentleman (both of which we also have, GB is a yellow corn, CG is a white shoepeg variety) - BUT is very high in protein and nutrition in general; and makes excellent cornmeal (which we grind ourselves)...

innieway  posted on  2007-06-12   9:48:58 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#26. To: innieway (#23)

It pays to be a gourmet gardener.

It sure does!

We grow ONLY heirloom varieties (absolutely NO hybrids). This allows us to save seeds for the next year's crops (ALL heirlooms are open-pollinated varieties, but not all open-pollinated varieties are heirloom - seed can be saved from ANY open-pollinated variety). There are many heirloom varieties which are nearly impossible to find for sale, even at a farmer's market.

We have things like white tomatoes (which are a little "sweeter" than most other tomatoes), purple tomatoes (which are "spicier"), purple carrots (again, spicier - as a rule of thumb, purple veggies are "spicier" than their conventional counterparts), strawberry spinach (which isn't a true spinach, but tastes very similar), and Hopi Indian corn which is a blue colored "dent" corn - not "sweet" like Golden Bantam or Country Gentleman (both of which we also have, GB is a yellow corn, CG is a white shoepeg variety) - BUT is very high in protein and nutrition in general; and makes excellent cornmeal (which we grind ourselves)...

I grow a lot of heirlooms. Most of my melons are heirloom varieties. As well I tend to avoid hybrids - on principle since I don't save a lot of seed. That is only because I have a small patch and cannot keep a proper seperation between varieties. Melons are particularly bad about naturally hybridizing. This year I have 8 cantaloupe varieties and 2 Watermelon varieties. About 30 - 35 plants total.

I have grown the Golden Bantam but not Shoepeg. I have limited space so don't grow corn every year. I would rather grow more melons.

As well most of my tomatoes are heirlooms which I start from seed. And yes most of the varieties I grow simply are not available at most nurseries. This year I am heavy on the yellows and orange tomatoes. Actually I have a spectrum of colors - White Cherry Tomatoes (Dr. Carolyn), Golden Queen - yellow to orange with a pink blush on the tip - very pretty and very tasty; Nyagous - a Russian Black Tomato variety; Jaune Flamme - Orange with streaks of red - a French heirloom, Azoychka - a yellow beefsteak from Russia, Peacevine - a very tasty Red Cherry developed by "Seeds of Change"; Sioux - a medium red slicer - an American heirloom developed at the University of Kansas in the '40's - my all time favorite medium red slicer - the flavor is superb; Czech's Excellent Yellow - my favorite medium sized yellow tomato; and Mexico Midget a small red cherry with outstanding flavor (also sold as "Matt's Wild Cherry"). My one and only hybrid was Sungold which I bought at a nursery in a moment of weakness.

Among my favorites that I am not growing this year would be Pruden's Purple - a marvelous reddish purple beefsteak that rivals Brandywine for flavor and is 2 to 3 weeks earlier. My all time favorite of all types is Yellow Brandywine - I just wish they were more productive and a bit earlier.

This year's Pole Bean is the old American heirloom "Purple Podded Pole Bean". They are very interesting in the garden - a great conversation piece, and I like the flavor - a lot.

As well are various herbs, and other odds and ends - Lettuce, Peppers, 3 varieties of Summer Squash, etc., ... If you have never tried the old Ronde de Nice French Round Zuchhini you really should. They are not the most productive but they are the best tasting. I usually grow two plants and may do 3 this year.

Original_Intent  posted on  2007-06-13   2:49:52 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#44. To: Original_Intent (#26) (Edited)

White Cherry Tomatoes (Dr. Carolyn)

Never heard of white tomatoes. Where do you get these?

And Sun-Gold...they taste great.

angle  posted on  2007-06-14   21:26:10 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


#46. To: angle, innieway, farmfriend, Diana, all (#44)

White Cherry Tomatoes (Dr. Carolyn)

Never heard of white tomatoes. Where do you get these?

Several sources actually:

Tomato Growers Supply Company probably has the best selection: TomatoGrowers Supply Co.

They have both full size and Cherry size White Tomatoes and all sorts of other colors: Yellow, red, pink, purple, black, orange, and bi-colored. I got the Dr. Carolyn seed from them.

Also Baker Creek Seed Company (Has the BEST selection of heirloom melons on the web.): Baker Creek Seed Company

Seed Savers Exchange: Seed Savers Exchange

Original_Intent  posted on  2007-06-14   23:31:15 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  


Replies to Comment # 46.

        There are no replies to Comment # 46.


End Trace Mode for Comment # 46.

TopPage UpFull ThreadPage DownBottom/Latest


[Home]  [Headlines]  [Latest Articles]  [Latest Comments]  [Post]  [Sign-in]  [Mail]  [Setup]  [Help]