ATHENS — Summer months in Ga yields a bounty of clean fruit and greens. In fact, Georgia is a person of the leading producers of cantaloupes in the U.S., and Georgia-grown watermelons and cantaloupes are the stars of summertime grocery stores and farmers marketplaces.
Having said that, the shelf life of these fruits is short. In addition to the fresh new sector, there isn’t an additional outlet for watermelon and cantaloupe growers to promote their produce. Now UGA researchers are stepping in to aid obtain novel makes use of for the juicy orbs.
Foodstuff squander and entry to healthy food is a growing worry through the U.S., and the advancement of new methods of processing and worth-included merchandise is critical for the long term security of the agricultural industry.
To assistance Ga growers, scientists in the Department of Meals Science and Technologies at the School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are conducting scientific tests to take a look at new goods using these fruits.
“The lengthy-time period intention of our research is to prolong the shelf everyday living of fruit juices even though preserving pure ranges of valuable molecules and sensory high quality,” defined Lida Araghi, the doctoral candidate who is leading the juice study.
This analyze examines the use of refrigeration and higher strain processing methodology to make the juice as contemporary as probable. Utilizing large force instead of other common methods makes it possible for for the fruit to retain its wholesome profile.
The analyze examines the use of refrigeration and large-pressure processing to retain the juice’s nutrition and preserve freshness.
“A nonthermal technological innovation like superior-force processing provides an alternate to regular thermal processing to meet client needs for handy, significant-high quality, purely natural vitamins and minimally processed merchandise,” Araghi mentioned.
By getting a new way to process watermelons and cantaloupes, this investigation raises the number of marketplaces for growers to sell their deliver even though providing a new way for individuals to receive healthy foods. This multiyear investigation examine is just one of the numerous means CAES is proceeds to support Georgians minimize food items squander and deliver new wholesome client items to the industry.
Courtney Cameron is a electronic internet marketing intern for the UGA Higher education of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Business office of Promoting and Communications.
More Stories
Transform Your Home & Garden in a Weekend
Protect Your Home & Garden Year Round
Low-Maintenance Plants for Home & Garden