UK: Fruits and veggies can hydrate better than water

For much of our evolutionary past, almost everything we ate contained a high percentage of water. In 2009, researchers at the University of Aberdeen Medical School in Scotland found that some fruits and vegetables might hydrate our bodies twice as effectively as a glass of water. In fact, fruits, vegetables, eggs and raw animal protein are between 70% to 96% water. Another study from the University of Naples found that certain plant chemicals, like lutein and zeaxanthin, help increase hydration even more. “We have often noticed that personal hydration levels increase following consumption of fruits and vegetables,” say boomer generation health experts Dian Griesel, Ph.D., and Tom Griesel, authors of the new book TurboCharged: Accelerate Your Fat Burning Metabolism, Get Lean Fast and Leave Diet and Exercise Rules in the Dust (April 2011, BSH).

Time to put fresh fruit and vegetable prices in perspective

Although consumers are spending a limited amount of their total and food expenditure on fresh fruit and vegetables, price is among the top purchase criteria. Market observations show that fruit and vegetables are not expensive in comparison to other food products, but rather are perceived to have a high price. The price debate must be seen in perspective to other food products and the various values and benefits which come along with purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables.

Price observations at a European level by Eurostat for a period of 10 years have shown that on average within the EU the relative price of fruit declined by 3.3% and that of vegetables by 1.6% in relation to price increases observed for all-items.

In overall terms, 1 kg of fruit and vegetables could cost between 1-2 €, while the prices for meat could be around 9-10 € or for fish around 11-12 €. Depending on the fruit and vegetable category.

For more information, plea

Brazil state grape harvest looking good

THIS year's grape harvest in Brazil's leading grape producing state of Rio Grande do Sul will exceed the record 634 000 tonnes reached in 2008, according to companies registered on a wine growing database, Cadastro Vinicola.

According to Brazil's department of agriculture and agribusiness (Seapa), the database was to set up "to ensure healthy competition between the wineries and help improve the image of gaucho wine". Samples of small scale produced wines are often compared with commercial wines to gauge quality.

UK: Potato exports see a boost

The UK market is short in supply but demand remains high at this time. Normally there can be a depressed trading situation after Christmas but this is not the case this season. Export trade remains steady where it is more important to maintain supply to established customers in the face of the unusual and opportunistic demand from Eastern Europe and in particular Russia where crop failures have played an increasing pressure on the available stocks.

Growers throughout the UK saw a mixed harvest in late 2010 with Scottish growers having far better weather for harvesting than their southern counterparts.

As for supplies so long as supply can be balanced with demand there should be enough in storage to maintain established orders for this season until at least May but after that it is anyone’s guess.

Sprout crop in danger from frost

Love them or hate them, no Christmas meal would be complete without them — the equally revered and reviled brussels sprout.
But the continuing cold snap has put this year’s crop in danger.
Freezing temperatures have prevented growers from harvesting the festive vegetables and many fear their crop could be severely damaged. The current Sprout are all having to be hand-harvested because growers are afraid of damage. Usually a mechanical harvester is used but this year farmers are afraid that using this would cause further damage. This has pushed prices up due to the added labour costs and the reduction in volume of good quality sprout.