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Chocolates that are really good for you - what could be better? click here
A quick and tasty meal, perfect for a last minute dinner party. Double the quantities for more servings. click here
This tiered treat will impress your lunch guests both with its fresh and creamy flavours and its stylish presentation. click here
An appetiser or light lunch with the wow factor. In a hurry? Use premade salsa and the dish comes together in five minutes click here
Roast chicken is one of the most under-rated yet finest family meals. Avocado in this recipe is used as a healthier, tastier variation of butter. click here
Make a classic breaksfast even more special with fresh avocado. (2 cups of store bought Hollandaise sauce may be used). click here
A delicious lunchtime treat that is sure to become a favourite in your household. click here
TAURANGA, March 2012: A new pilot study which aims to investigate if the dietary habits of New Zealanders can be changed, will encourage participants to eat avocados and other specific foods every day to help reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases. Nutrigenomics New Zealand (a collaboration between AgResearch, Plant and Food Research and The University of Auckland) is asking a group of people aged 20 to 60 to change their diet for six weeks to incorporate foods rich in healthy fats such as avocado, along with fish and seafood, lean meat, fresh vegetables, legumes, beans, nuts and whole grains. It is thought a ‘anti-inflammatory' diet such as this, could assist in reducing the chances people have of developing cancer, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer's as well cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological and autoimmune diseases. The study is being led by Auckland University's head of nutrition, Professor Lynnette Ferguson. It draws inspiration from the Mediterranean diet which relies heavily on the above foods and avoids processed food or items high in sugar, fat or white flour. "This sort of eating pattern is based on the traditional foods and lifestyle of individuals that border the Mediterranean Sea, including Greece, Spain, Italy and Turkey. Although the specific dietary guidelines that we are asking people to follow are not identical to this, they have a number of things in common,” Professor Ferguson says. "In particular, we request that people eat at least seven servings of fresh fruit and vegetables, two or more servings of fish per week, and that their sources of fat are mainly from extra virgin olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds.” This pilot study is nearing completion. Nutrigenomics New Zealand will use the information gathered to gauge how feasible it is to get Kiwis to change their diet long enough to see changes in inflammation. Different levels of support, education, recipes and food was given to participants to establish how much intervention is needed to successfully get people to modify their diets. Blood and urine samples will also be taken before and afterwards to see if there is a change in people's inflammation profiles. . "We would like to use the outcomes of this study to then design a large scale study for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients who could benefit greatly from a diet like this. We ultimately wish to be able to provide dietary guidelines that will aid individuals suffering from the disease,” Professor Ferguson explains. The Avocado Industry Council (AIC) supported Nutrigenomics New Zealand with avocados and recipes throughout the pilot study. AIC chief executive Jen Scoular says the industry is excited to see the results of the study as avocados have long been renowned for their health benefits. "The fats in avocados are classed as ‘good fats' because they lower your cholesterol and are good for your heart. Eating at least some avocado every day will definitely make a difference to your overall health and wellbeing so hopefully the information and insights gained from this study will benefit all New Zealanders,” Scoular says.
Avocado orchardists Andrew and Maria Watchorn were tickled when the Governor General visited their Omokoroa orchard to get a first-hand look at the Bay of Plenty’s avocado growing industry. The Watchorn’s hosted Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae on Thursday, where Maria says they were amused by the fact the Governor had never seen an avocado tree before. Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae gets his first look at an avocado tree. "He came to visit our orchard, and it was the first avocado tree – he had never seen an avocado tree until he came onto our property. "I think he was quite shocked, I don’t think he thought they were going to be such lovely, lush trees. We worked hard to get the orchard looking pristine. "He really thought avocado trees were beautiful trees.” As part of the tour, Sir Jerry visited the Zespri headquarters in Mount Maunganui before going to the Apata packhouse and Watchorn’s orchard on Prole Road, Omokoroa. Maria says the Governor General is a "lovely, warm, approachable” person who really loves avocados. "He got a tray of avocados to take back to Wellington with him.” This season’s avocado crop is looking good for the Watchorns. "I cannot say that about the whole industry, because of the on-off season’s for people. "Because of bi-annual bearing, some people are not able to produce a crop every year. There are some growers out there that have a very, very light crop, if any at all. "We are fortunate enough to get another really good crop, good fruit, good sizes. The season for us has been very good.” On the orchard, Maria says they use a range of innovative techniques to improve fruit production. "We have fully automated frost protection systems in place and the water comes from a bore that is slightly warmed, that is fully automated computerised system.” Apata coolstore manager Ian Tangney speaks with the Governor General. Last season, the avocado industry recorded one of its biggest crops yet, although returns are not as good as anticipated after the record volumes swamped the Australian market. "As a grower, the impact is the price. Our normal tray payout has been reduced.” Maria says although they have not received the final payout, it is estimated returns will be down by $5-$7 per tray, compared to last year. "With the Australian market swamped by both New Zealand and more Australian fruit than anticipated, it has brought the price down.” Source: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/23084-bay-avocado-industry-on-show.html
The avocado industry is testing technology to prevent fruit ripening in transit that it hopes will open up markets in Europe. Two thousand trays of fruit were exported to France in December packed in shipping containers fitted with dynamic controlled atmosphere equipment - technology which creates a low-oxygen atmosphere. A shipment is on its way to Honolulu, and two more containers will be sent to France to help determine the ideal conditions for transporting avocados for more than 20 days. New Zealand Avocado Growers' Association chief executive Jen Scoular said the European market could be hugely important. "It's not just Europe, it's also Russia ... We are forecasting reasonably significant increases in volume, so the more markets we have available, the better." The technology is being used to set the oxygen level in the container at the outset, but could be adjustable in transit if it proves worth the additional expense. 'We can't ever undervalue the amount of effort that we have to put into retaining our markets. Building new markets is certainly a high priority, but retaining value in our current markets must also be a big part in our strategy." The trial is being monitored by Plant and Food Research in association with the Avocado Industry Council. Scoular said the association was keen to see greater exporter collaboration to achieve more sustainable returns for growers. "If an exporter has not provided up-to-date forecasts on returns or is unable to talk about their longer-term market strategy, growers should question whether that exporter is their best business partner." The Avocado Industry Council is engaged in a project with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to promote agreement on chemical-residue levels in six Asian countries and is working with government and industry to assess the potential for exports to China and India. The export-season harvest runs from September to February and Scoular said it was expected to be about 3.7 million trays, with Australia accounting for about 75-80 per cent. Exports in the 2010/11 year were worth $67 million. "Early in the season Australia forecast their crop would be light because of adverse weather," Scoular said. "But the actual crop out of Australia was significantly higher, so when New Zealand avocados arrived across the Tasman their market was swamped and prices fell." Cold weather before Christmas had also resulted in less demand. "I think there will be people who are losing money ... There are others who will do reasonably well. I think it's a bad year for growers because the expectation was high." AVOCADOS AHOY * Atmosphere controls are being tested to ship fruit to more distant markets. * Computer systems monitor and control the atmosphere or levels of gases present in a container. * Sensors measure the stress level of the avocado or the level of oxygen deprivation it can handle before being damaged. * A control unit then sets that level of oxygen in the container so the fruit can hibernate. Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10784036
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