Eating leafy greens may be even more important than previously thought, with the discovery that an immune cell population essential for intestinal health could be controlled by the presence of leafy greens in the diet. Research undertaken by Australian scientists and published in March 2013 in the Nature Immunology journal found that leafy greens help the body produce digestive immune cells that play an important role in protecting the body from infection. The research team included Dr Gabrielle... ...Read more »

Kale, a green leafy cabbage-like vegetable, is a growing trend in the US and UK markets, according to global market research organisation Innova Market Insights. There has been a rise in use of the vegetable, which is part of the Brassica family that also includes broccoli and cauliflower, in a wide range of packaged food and drink products in recent years. The total number of global introductions of food or drink products with kale as an ingredient have more than trebled over the five-year period... ...Read more »

Australian Food News recently reported that the total value of food and liquor retailing in Australia grew by 4.2 per cent in 2011-12, to $135.8 billion, according to ‘Australian Food Statistics’, a yearly report compiled by the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) from data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). But the report found that a more detailed analysis of the data showed a more complex picture than what was suggested by the overall figures. Food... ...Read more »

Despite an increase in food prices worldwide, fresh foods remain an important part of the weekly shop globally, according to research published earlier this month by global market researcher Nielsen. The Nielsen Global Survey of Fresh Foods, which surveyed more than 29,000 respondents in 58 countries, found that consumers globally now spend between 30 and 60 per cent of their total food, grocery and personal care funds on fresh foods. The research found that consumers globally shop for fresh foods... ...Read more »

Queensland’s flood damaged produce will not be wasted in a Sydney Market initiative that is converting damaged fruit and vegetables into green electricity. Sydney Market, which saw a 25 per cent spike in perished produce last year during the floods, expects to turn the same amount of wasted fruit and vegetables into energy this time around. Early damage reports following the Queensland floods reveal that vegetable and fruit crop losses could exceed $100 million, with orchards in Bundaberg, Gayndah... ...Read more »

Heavy rain and flooding caused by Cyclone Oswald in Queensland has had an immediate impact on produce availability, with Queensland-sourced vegetable supplies from mid-April to late May expected to be in very short supply.   Eroded farmland and stranded trucks have ruined many Queensland crops and will diminish fresh produce supplies, according to Fresh Food Economist and CEO of the SOCExchange, Franco Lagudi. Mr Lagudi said that while the extent of the damage can not be assessed for another few... ...Read more »

Data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on the December 2012 Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows a price fall of 5.7% for vegetables during the latest quarter. The price fall coincides with substantial harvests of fruit and vegetables that followed strong rainfalls during the prime growing season around most of Australia. The high Australian dollar also resulted in loss of some export markets resulting in downward price pressures on local growers through over-supply in the Australian... ...Read more »

While it is commonly known that fruit and vegetables are a healthy option for a snack, new CHOICE research has found that consuming these in beverage form can often contain “larger serving sizes than the average plate of food.” CHOICE analysed 95 popular Australian brands of smoothies and frappes recently and found that many had “added sugar” and “fruit concentrate” which ruled them out as a healthy option. Of the smoothies and frappes reviewed by CHOICE, 81 of 95 beverages were deemed... ...Read more »

The relocation of the Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market from Footscray to Epping is expected to hurt everyone in the fresh produce industry, from wholesalers to retailers and consumers. A statement from the Minister for Major Projects, released on December 13th 2012, projects that rents for stores at the new Epping market are to rise from current $273 per m2 at Footscray to $450 per m2 at Epping.  For storeholders, the new rents represent a 64.8 per cent increase per square metre on... ...Read more »

Chinese scientists are preparing to grow fresh produce on Mars and the Moon after four different types of vegetables were successfully grown in a simulated version of the “uninhabitable” planets. The Chinese news agency Xinhua has reported that the vegetables were grown in a “controlled ecological life support system” created by the Chinese Astronaut Research and Training Centre. The 300 cubic metre system housed two astronauts and four different types of plants, balancing water, carbon dioxide... ...Read more »