Mandarins Aren't Just for Christmas Anymore

The under-appreciated mandarin fruit need not be limited to Christmas-time consumption, says UC horticulturist Louise Ferguson. With new varieties from Spain and others developed in California, sweet, ripe mandarins can be picked in the San Joaquin Valley from September to March. Once the new varieties catch on with farmers, Ferguson said harvest can start in early fall with the new cultivars from Spain, then continue with a number of cultivars to complete the season with "W. Murcott Afourer" in the spring. Mandarin distribution could be coordinated with countries like South Africa, she said, to keep the fruit in supermarkets year round. "Mandarins are a child-friendly fruit," Ferguson says. "They're easy to peel, smaller than most oranges and some are really sweet." Nevertheless, mandarin growers have a hurdle to overcome. The huge popularity in the Western United States of navel and valencia oranges has left mandarins with a tiny share of the citrus market: just 2 percent. In contrast, mandarins account for 30 percent of the citrus fruit eaten in some European countries. New ideas may boost mandarin consumption in the United States. "I envision candy-sized mandarins sold in a single-serving net bag," Ferguson says. "That makes an elegant, convenient, nutritious snack." For more information, contact Ferguson at (559) 646-6541, louise@uckac.edu.

UC Scientists Say Milk Fat has Beneficial Qualities

Scientists at UC Davis have found that milk fat is an amazingly effective delivery vehicle for vitamin E. In recent years, milk fat, which is mostly saturated and known to raise LDL cholesterol, has been vilified by dieticians who strongly recommend low-fat or non-fat milk products to reduce the risk of heart disease. On the flip side, the same fat may protect against cancer. "The dairy industry is already putting vitamins D and A in milk, but most people in the country need more vitamin E, an important anti-oxident," said Steve Watkins, a UC Davis post-doctorate researcher who spoke at two recent San Joaquin Valley dairy programs coordinated by UC Cooperative Extension. "Right now we know of no better way to take a vitamin E supplement than with a glass of milk." Watkins also discussed his research into one specific component of milk fat: butyric acid. "This particular fatty acid is produced in the colon when you eat fiber," Watkins said. After drinking milk, the butyric acid ends up in the liver. In laboratory tests, he said, liver cancer cells exposed to butyric acid were killed. Clinical studies have not yet been done. For more information, contact Watkins at (530) 752-1486, smwatkins@ucdavis.edu.

Direct Marketing Grass-fed Beef a Topic at the Oakdale Livestock Forum

A successful grass-fed beef operation depends on location, location, location, says Glenn Nader, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor for Sutter, Yuba and Butte counties. Ranchers might be able to carve out a new market for their product, but the extra costs involved require the ranch, a USDA-inspected processing facility, and consumers with high disposable income to be in close proximity. Nader will review four case studies of small-scale direct beef marketing to the Oakdale Livestock Forum Tuesday, Feb. 23, at the Oakdale Community Center. "Three out of the four have quit direct marketing," Nader said, "but we can learn from their experience." He said there may be consumers willing to pay extra for beef that's higher in vitamin A a result of grass feeding compared to the corn-fed variety found at grocery stores and the confidence of knowing where the meat came from. "They may want a more personal attachment to the product," he said. "They may have fears of antibiotics and hormones in their food. Even though research data may minimize the fears in our minds, to them, perception is reality." One key to direct marketing success, Nader says, is inherent marketing savvy. "Some people are great beef producers. Some people have a knack for marketing. But you need both skills for a successful grass-fed beef operation." For more information contact Nader at (530) 741-7515, ganader@ucdavis.edu.

Jeannette Warnert
Public Information Representative
Ag and Natural Resources
UC Center
550 E. Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA 93710