Top Chefs Set To Serve Up Inspirational Treats At Avocado Festival
New Zealand Avocado - 20 Dec '12
Thousands of foodies are expected to descend on the small Bay of Plenty town next month for the Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival, featuring celebrity Masterchef, Nadia Lim.
Over 1000 avocados were consumed by avocado aficionados during the 2012 festival and the involvement of both avocado ambassador Nadia Lim and local chef Peter Blakeway is expected to send consumption at the 10th annual event through the roof.
New Zealand Avocado CEO, Jen Scoular, says this dedicated festival is growing in popularity every year and is all about celebrating one of our most diverse ingredients as well as educating and inspiring avocado lovers to try new recipes at home.
"Last year the industry produced a record avocado crop and New Zealanders had lots of opportunities to enjoy their extensive nutritional benefits. Nadia's cooking demonstrations will be one of the festival's highlights and will be a great opportunity for avocado lovers to pick up new ideas and sample some innovative dishes.”
Since the festival began in 2003, over $80,000 has been raised and donated to local charities. All proceeds from the 10th annual festival, run by the Pakeke and Katikati Lions clubs, will be donated to the Cancer Society Lodge in Hamilton.
Festival organiser David Crispin says the festival is a wonderful summer's day out and is a real treat for foodies, with thousands of people expected to enjoy tasty avocado treats and entertainment with a glass of wine in hand.
"This festival is a great family opportunity to relax in the sunshine, with bands performing throughout the day and six top wineries providing wine tastings. There is a wide variety of food available to purchase, plus the public can try their hand at making guacamole which will be judged by Nadia and Peter,” says Crispin.
Children will also be well catered for with plenty of entertainment and rides. Prizes are up for grabs in the avocado spoon races and avocado art will allow youngsters to create their own masterpieces by stamping painted avocado pieces onto paper.
Nadia Lim is a qualified dietician and winner of Masterchef 2011 is the ambassador for New Zealand Avocado and will share her passion for the superfruit by educating Kiwis how they can use avocados in unique ways.
The Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival will be held on Saturday 19th January 2013 at the Uretara Domain in Katikati from 12pm-6pm. Early bird tickets are $16 (plus booking fee) from http://www.iticket.co.nz/events/2013/jan/avocado-food-and-wine-festival-2013 Those under 18 years accompanied by a parent are free. For more information visit http://www.avofest.co.nz/.
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BOP Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2013
Wednesday 26 June 2013, Mount Maunganui BayPark Function Centre This year the competition will be held at BayPark Function Centre on Wednesday, 26 June 2013. This exciting competition event, followed by a gala dinner in the evening, attracts hundreds of local Bay of Plenty people from within the horticulture industry. This event celebrates and showcases the importance of continually recognising and encouraging our industries up-and-coming young leaders, and this event is the perfect platform for this. For more information about the Bay of Plenty Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition, including entry forms and opportunities to sponsor this prestigious BOP event click on the documents below. BOP Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2013 - Flyer BOP Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2013 - Application Form BOP Young Fruit Grower of the Year 2013 - Sponsorship Form
Register now for Nutritional Values 2013
We invite you to join fellow growers and international experts for this not to be missed avocado industry event. This is your opportunity to increase your awareness of the amazing nutritional properties of the avocado, gain knowledge about increasing the health of your orchard and learn about how we can ensure we maintain a strong and sustainable industry. Register for NUTRITIONAL VALUES now to take advantage of the early bird rates. What are the specific health properties of avocado? How do we increase the visibility of these attributes? And how does what we do in our orchards and throughout the value chain impact on the final product we deliver to consumers? The Nutritional Values conference will explore these questions and more, while providing you with an opportunity to reconnect, make new connections and discuss your ideas with peers and experts. The programme features international speakers and experts from Australasia who will present the latest knowledge on issues important to maximising value for the New Zealand and Australian avocado industries. Attendees will also spend time visiting successful orchards and postharvest facilities in the Bay of Plenty. Exciting programme, fabulous location, and memorable social events. Register for Nutritional Values at avocadoconference.co.nz Conference organising committee: Ashby Whitehead Chairman NZAGA Jim Kochi Chairman, AAL Jen Scoular CEO, NZ Avocado John Tyas CEO, AAL
New Chairman Announced for NZ Avocado Growers Association Inc and Avocado Industry Council Ltd
Te Puke orchardist and NZAGA Grower Rep of seven years, Ashby Whitehead, is the new chairman-elect of NZAGA and AIC. "I am excited about the excellent opportunities available for avocados from New Zealand but also very aware of the challenges we face as an industry. I look forward to leading the industry through this phase of change and improvement, with the development of new markets in Asia, building the nutritional platform for avocados and strengthening the avocado category in the New Zealand market,” Mr Whitehead said. Mr Whitehead will replace current chairman John Schnackenberg when he steps down from the position in May as part of a planned succession. Mr Schnackenberg has served as chairman since 2007 and will continue as a Grower Representative on the NZAGA Executive and AIC Ltd Board. Mr Whitehead has been one of the eight grower-elected directors on AIC's ten-member board since 2006. Mr Whitehead has been a successful avocado grower since 1996. He and wife Linda purchased a run-down apple orchard in Te Puke in 1991, converting to avocados after much tidying up and rehabilitation of the land. In 2000 they acquired the neighbouring orchard and planted a further 0.75ha of avocados and 3.5ha of kiwifruit. Ashby has had a long career in engineering, something which he has recently come back to following the effects of Psa-V. He is very active in the Te Puke avocado and kiwifruit communities and also sits on the AIC Finance committee, the Recognised Product Group, Quality Standards Committee and Local Market Committee. "I look forward to addressing the joint New Zealand and Australian avocado growers' conference in September in Tauranga in my new role as Chairman. It will be an excellent opportunity to connect with New Zealand and international avocado growers.” Says Mr Whitehead. Mr Whitehead takes the Chairmanship at a time when there is major activity on the horizon for NZ Avocado. "We are currently working on a business case for a Primary Growth Partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries and also worked closely with Plant & Food Research to submit a bid for avocado research funding from the Ministry for Business Innovation and Employment,” says Mr Whitehead. "The crown investment will allow us to significantly accelerate our projects and implement solutions to create a far more profitable industry going forward.” Outgoing chairman John Schnackenberg said "Ashby brings a strong grower focus to the chairmanship.” NZAGA Grower Representative Tony Ponder has been elected as the new Vice Chair of NZAGA. Tony has served on the Board since 2005.
New study indicates avocado consumption may be associated with better diet quality
Positive health indicators also associated with avocado consumption IRVINE, Calif. (February 20, 2013) – New analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) , a program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates that consuming avocados may be associated with better diet quality and nutrient intake level, lower intake of added sugars, lower body weight, BMI and waist circumferences, higher "good cholesterol" levels and lower metabolic syndrome risk. These results were published in the January 2013 issue of Nutrition Journal. Specifically, the survey data (NHANES 2001-2008, 17,567 U.S. adults ages 19 years and older) revealed that the 347 adults (50% female) who consumed avocados in any amount during a 24-hour dietary recording period had several significantly better nutrient intake levels and more positive health indicators than those who did not consume avocados. Among the avocado consumers, average daily consumption was about one half (70.1 /- 5.4 g/day) of a medium sized avocado, somewhat higher in male avocado consumers (75.3 /-6.3 g/day) than females (66.7 /- 7.3 g/day). Overall Diet Quality, Energy and Nutrient Intakes According to the study, Avocado consumers more closely adhered to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans than those who did not eat avocados, as measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). Avocado consumers had significantly higher intakes of certain important nutrients including 36% more dietary fiber, 23% more vitamin E, 13% more magnesium, 16% more potassium and 48% more vitamin K than non-consumers. Avocado consumers also had significantly higher intakes of "good" fats (18% more monounsaturated and 12% more polyunsaturated) and total fats (11% more) than non-consumers, although average caloric intake of both groups was the same. Avocado consumers and non-consumers had similar intakes of sodium. Physiological Health Measures Avocado consumers had significantly lower BMI values than non-consumers. Avocado consumers had significantly smaller waist circumference measures than non-consumers (an average of 4 cm smaller). Avocado consumers weighed significantly less than non-consumers (an average of 7.5 pounds less). Avocado consumers had significantly higher HDL ("good") cholesterol levels. Metabolic Syndrome Risk The study found that Avocado consumers had a 50% lower odds ratio for metabolic syndrome compared to non-consumers. Metabolic syndrome is a name given to a group of risk factors which, when they occur together, increase the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke and type-2 diabetes. As with most analyses of NHANES data, research findings were based on cross-sectional data from a single 24-hour dietary recall (which may be inaccurate and biased due to misreporting and memory lapses) and cannot provide cause and effect evidence between avocado consumption and improvements in diet quality. "These findings suggest an interesting association between the consumption of avocados and better nutrient intakes and other positive outcomes," said study primary investigator Victor Fulgoni, PhD. "These observations were derived from population survey data, they provide important clues to better understanding the relationships between diet and health, and give direction to future research endeavors." "To this end, the Hass Avocado Board is funding additional clinical studies to investigate the relationship between fresh avocado consumption and risk factors for cardiovascular disease, avocados' potential positive role in weight management and diabetes, and avocados' ability to enhance nutrient absorption," said Hass Avocado Board Executive Director Emiliano Escobedo. ### For a free copy of the abstract or the full study visit: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/12/1/1 For additional information or free resources on avocado research, recipes, tips and photos visit the Hass Avocado Board web site at AvocadoCentral.com. About the Hass Avocado Board The Hass Avocado Board was established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the United States. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados directs HAB's promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Hass avocados are grown in California and imported into the US from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic and New Zealand. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes/about_nhanes.htm. Accessed on January 31, 2013. Fulgoni VL, Dreher M and Davenport A. Avocado Consumption is Associated with Better Diet Quality and Nutrient Intake, and Lower Metabolic Syndrome Risk in US Adults: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2008. Nutrition Journal. 2013; 12:1 (2 January 2013) United States Department of Agriculture. Healthy Eating Index. Available at: http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/healthyeatingindex.htm. Accessed on January 30, 2013. National Heart Blood and Lung Institute. What is Metabolic Syndrome? Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms/. Accessed on January 30, 2013.
Diet change works swiftly in reducing risk
NZ Avocado contributed to the study detailed below through the provision of avocados to the participants throughout the trial. A study by Lynnette Ferguson, Professor of Nutrition at The University of Auckland, has shown that a change in diet can be effective in reducing inflammation over a period of just six weeks in healthy New Zealanders. The research has also shown that short-term studies with relatively small numbers of participants are capable of yielding robust research results, which has major implications for the cost of human clinical trials. "Inflammation,” says Professor Ferguson, "can be the catalyst for chronic human diseases, including Alzheimer's, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers, as well as various autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's Disease and type 2 diabetes.” "It has been established in many studies that this inflammation can be reduced through a diet which is high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, fruit and vegetables, nuts and whole grains, and is low in refined grains, saturated fats and sugars. "Many of these dietary components characterise the ‘Mediterranean diet', which has been shown to protect against chronic disease.” What Professor Ferguson set out to investigate was whether there was evidence of inflammation in apparently healthy New Zealanders and whether changing their diet for just six weeks would reduce this evidence. To do this she looked at bio-markers including the C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a standard marker for inflammation and can be measured through blood tests. Thirty healthy volunteers, selected for their initially "poor” diets, were encouraged to cut out refined and processed foods and to follow a Mediterranean-type diet over the six weeks of the study, with increased amounts of fish, vegetables, unrefined cereals and "good” fats such as olive oil and avocado. They were given some foods, including salmon (for one meal a week), and were provided with recipes for healthy eating. The biggest difference from a standard Mediterranean-style diet was the use of gluten-free foods. Participants, randomly assigned to high and lower-intervention groups, provided blood and urine samples at the beginning and end of the study, completed a four-day diary in the final days, and completed questionnaires about their diet and lifestyle, as well as attending workshops led by expert dieticians. "This was a small study, intended to be a pilot for a much larger study of patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases such as Crohn's Disease, but the results turned out to be highly statistically significant,” says Professor Ferguson. "Overall average daily fat intake was considerably reduced, and much lower percentages of saturated fat were consumed.” The self-reporting of volunteers was corroborated by the blood tests, which showed a corresponding reduction in the bio-markers for inflammation. It demonstrated that the high-intervention diet had altered gene expression within six weeks. "This is a remarkable result,” says Professor Ferguson, "since it shows that average people, many of them young and with no health conditions, can, through an improvement in diet, significantly modify the biomarkers that indicate the risk that they could develop a chronic disease later.” The larger research project for which this was a pilot or "proof of principle” study is one which is examining the effect of a change to a Mediterranean-type diet (similar, though not identical, to that in the pilot study) on people suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It has been established that there are several different genotypes characteristic of people suffering from Inflammatory Bowel Disease, and that each of those genotypes responds differently to particular types of diet or dietary items. The current research project is concentrating on those who have the most common genotype for the disease, though the ultimate aim is to formulate different diets tailored to the needs of the whole range of genotypes. Results are being analysed now and look "highly encouraging”, says Professor Ferguson. The findings will be available in March.
Avocado Versatility Inspires Crowds At Annual Festival
TAURANGA, Monday 21st January 2013: Over 1500 avocados were devoured in Katikati this weekend as New Zealand's avocado capital celebrated the superfruit's health and versatility in style, breaking the record of avocados consumed at last year's festival. Celebrity Masterchef Nadia Lim headlined the 10th annual Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival at Uretara Domain on Saturday, and a huge crowd enjoyed avocado inspired mousse, ice cream and pizzas as well as cooking demonstrations and culinary competitions. New Zealand Avocado CEO, Jen Scoular, says a staggering number of avocados were peeled, sliced, diced and mashed on the day, and it was great to see so many people celebrating one of nature's most nutritious and delicious ingredients. NZ Avocado ambassador, Nadia Lim, and local celebrity chef, Peter Blakeway, both drew big crowds and taught people some exciting new ways to add ‘good' fats to your diet and increase your heart health. "Nadia and Peter created a range of amazing avocado dishes and really opened people's eyes to the endless ways to enjoy avocados. Nadia created an Asian avocado and prawn salad while Peter wowed the crowd with a delicious roast chicken with avocado and mini chicken avocado pizzas,” Scoular says. "Avocado lovers certainly picked up lots of new ideas and got to sample some delicious dishes,” Scoular says. Free samples of avocado chocolate mousse proved extremely popular, and showed just how perfect this summer ingredient can be for desserts. An estimated 2000 people had the opportunity to relax in the sunshine, with bands performing throughout the day and six top wineries providing wine tastings, while guacamole lovers went head to head in a bid to create the best guacamole in Katikati. "Nadia and Peter had a hard time judging the winners,” Scoular says. "It was great to see people creating the famous dip and infusing their own ideas.” Children also competed for their share of the limelight, with avocado and spoon races and avocado art proving to be a big hit alongside more traditional fairground entertainment. Festival organiser David Crispin says this year's event, which was jointly run by the Pakeke and Katikati Lions clubs, will donate proceeds from the festival to the Cancer Society Lodge in Hamilton. For all of the delicious recipes created during the festival, including the guacamole competition winning recipe, visit http://www.nzavocado.co.nz/
