Great Plains Growers Conference (GPGC) is a great local conference for commercial fruit and vegetable producers from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and other Midwest states providing research-based information, from both vegetable research specialists and local growers, to help your farms grow and thrive.
When: January 11-14, 2024
Where: Missouri Western University, St. Joseph, MO
Those little stickers on fresh produce may soon be replaced with high tech labels that are “printed” directly on the produce. This research is being conducted at the K-State Olathe campus in the Postharvest Physiology and Food Safety lab.
Using laser technology, the QR code is etched or engraved on to the surface of the food. Research is looking at the quality and safety of the produce and if the engraving affects produce freshness or if it causes problems with microbial contamination. They also want to see if the QR code remains readable from the time the produce is engraved to when it is used.
These stickers, called price look-up (PLU) stickers, are used to track inventory through the supply chain. These new QR codes could help trace recalled food faster and solve foodborne illness outbreaks in a timely manner.
The country of France has banned the use of noncompostable stickers on produce. Therefore, they cannot receive exported produce from the United States.
Learn more at https://www.k-state.edu/seek/spring-2022/printing-qr-code-produce/
The North Dakota State University Extension Field to Fork weekly webinar series is back for 2021. The first webinar is scheduled for February 10, 2021.
The series includes topics such as growing safe produce, food preservation, high tunnel production, weed control, maple syrup production, nutrition and health, starting and food business and more. Along with NDSU speakers, invited speakers will be from Kansas State University, University of Wisconsin and University of Missouri.
These webinars are free, but registration is required to participate. Learn more and register at www.ag.ndsu.edu/fieldtofork.
A majority of lettuce grown in the U.S. comes from California and Arizona. A new consumer website is now available to educate consumers about the farming practices, the safety measures used, and more. This website comes from the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement.
The information includes details about many varieties of lettuce, and there are quite a few! Food safety practices are critical for this vegetable. And the nutrients in lettuce are beneficial for many reasons.
Learn more at https://lettuceinfo.org/.
See a nutritional comparison of various leafy greens at https://bit.ly/352groj.
To help small produce farmers track their produce operation from farm to buyer, a new Traceability App for Produce Growers is available.
The app allows the grower to map their fields, designate a code for each commodity grown, generate a harvest date and lot code, and create a product sticker to print out the information and adhere to the packaging. These lot codes can also be added to invoices for the buyers.
This tool will enhance the small produce growers ability to track their crops and in the case of a recall, that product can be easily tracked back to a specific field.
Learn more at www.ksre.k-state.edu/foodsafety/produce/index.html.
Fall is almost here! And pumpkins are starting to dot landscapes and yards.
Pumpkin flesh is typically what most people eat. But the young leaves are also edible. While plants are likely mature now, according to University of California-Davis, “You don’t have to wait for the pumpkin to mature before enjoying the plant. The leaves are edible and can be cooked like spinach. Choose young, tender leaves for that purpose. Of course, the seeds are edible, too. Enjoy them roasted and salted to increase the food value of your crop, particularly if you have limited space.”
For information roasting pumpkin seeds, see www.ksuhortnewsletter.org/newsletters/roasting-pumpkin-seeds
Have some fun with pumpkins! Learn how at https://web.extension.illinois.edu/pumpkins/fun.cfm
Looking for a simple way to find seasonal foods? Look no further than Seasonal and Simple!
This app, developed by the University of Missouri, also includes Kansas State University Extension, University of Nebraska Extension and Iowa State University Extension.
The free app includes farmers market located near you, recipes, seasonal produce, and much more.
Learn more at http://seasonalandsimple.info and download from your app store.
Since 2011, more than 20 foodborne illness outbreaks have occurred from North American produce. The foods involved were cantaloupe, romaine lettuce, cucumbers, frozen vegetables and others. In 2018 alone, romaine lettuce has been linked to two large recalls. This is costly not only in illnesses and unfortunate deaths, but complete disruption in the supply chain.
Produce safety is an ongoing challenge. Safe potable water is critical for growing produce, but also in harvest and processing. If water is high in mineral deposits, it can cause pathogen survival. Soil residue also impacts cleanliness and sanitation.
Water temperature will change the sanitizer stability and efficacy. If water is too cold, the sanitizer will not work properly. If water is too hot, sanitizers can vaporize and release toxic gases. Produce quality can also be affected which can reduce shelf life. The acidity or pH of water must also be monitored.
Contact time of sanitizers and disinfectants will dictate the effectiveness. If left on too long, off flavors will linger and can become a chemical hazard.
The produce surface texture can trap bacteria or make them difficult to remove soil and debris. Bruises and other damage also lead to ineffective cleaning.
Learn more at https://bit.ly/2rAy36g.
The debate continues as to which fruits and vegetables are nutritionally better for you as in fresh, frozen or canned. Many people struggle to find fresh produce. So what choices are available for best nutritional value?
A recent study looked at fresh, fresh-stored, and frozen fruits and vegetables. Fresh-stored is defined as fresh produce stored at home for five days. Frozen produce is commonly viewed by consumers as nutritionally low.
This study evaluated three nutrients in a variety of produce. They included vitamin C, provitamin A, and total folate. In the end, there were no significant differences in a majority of the comparisons. But, in some cases, the fresh-stored foods had lower nutrient values. Frozen produce had significantly higher nutrient values.
In the end, minimal storage time of fresh produce will help retain nutrients. Frozen foods are a tasty, and even more nutritious choice, and for some foods, available year round.
Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157517300418