|
|
| Resveratrol follow-up
|
Sierra Rayne's exciting proposal with regard to the possibility of extracting resveratrol from pruning waste (see below - 'There be gold in dem canes!') has led to some further correspondence between the author and biodynamicwine.com.au. Rayne suggests caution as far as the extraction of resveratrol by fermenting canes is concerned (due to the potentially destructive impact of yeast activity - enzymes, heat, etc):'Let's not be too hasty about the fermentation potential. It might degrade a good portion of the resveratrol in the vines, but we don't know. Fermentation of the grapes still leaves resveratrol in the wine, but the question is, how much potential resveratrol existed in the grapes prior to fermentation, how much was left in grapes after fermentation, how much was in the wine, and how much was degraded. This would be a highly useful study. Based on my experience, resveratrol is too non-polar to be significantly extracted from ground canes at low EtOH contents. You'd probably need a 70:30 EtOH/water solution for a reasonable extraction efficiency. I have a paper coming out in the journal Industrial Crops and Processes this month that details some of these issues more quantitatively.' Sierra will be making this forthcoming study available to readers of biodynamicwine.com.au - so watch this space!
|
|
| THERE BE GOLD IN DEM CANES!
|
Unwanted pruning waste could be more valuable than grapes themselves! that, at least, is the implication of a recent article written by Canadian researcher Sierra Rayne (Australian and New Zealand Grapegrower and Winemaker Magazine, September 2007). Rayne argues that every hectare of vineyard gives enough unwanted canes at pruning for the extraction of US$2-3,000 worth of resveratrol, a compound known to be effective in the fight against heart disease and cancer. Of particular interest, however, to winegrowers is the observation by Rayne that resveratrol is also effective against Botrytis and Downy Mildew. Rayne writes, 'Thus there is pottential to utilise grape cane extracts as anti-phytopathogenic sprays to aid on-farm sustainability.' In addition, the author suggests that it may be possible to increase the resveratrol content of canes by several hundred fold just by leaving them in direct sunlight (such increases have been observed with grapes exposed to UV light). The potential of winegrowers extracting resveratrol themselves for the production of homemade anti-Botrytis or mildew sprays also seems to be great because this, according to Rayne, can be effected using a simple water/ethanol mixture. Anton Van Klopper, BD winegrower at the Lucy Margaux Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, has suggested that it may be best simply to ferment pruning waste and then use the resulting 'wine' as the base for a foliar spray. If there are any readers out there interested in trialling such a preparation, www.biodynamicwine.com.au would be interested in following your progress and publishing the results.
|
|
|
| Big business standing up to GE food
|
|
This article was published in The Organic Advantage - the e-letter of the Biological Farmers of Australia - on November 22, 2007. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SPECIAL EDITION
Edition 93, Thursday 22nd November, 2007 |
|
BREAKING NEWS: Organic industry at risk; Vic and NSW poised to release GE Canola |
|
GE FREE AUSTRALIA, PRESS RELEASE, 22 NOV 07
Coles joins food industry in speaking out against GE Food Crops
Supermarket giant Coles has joined industry leaders in speaking out against genetically engineered (GE) food, as the Victorian Government looks set to announce the lifting of their ban on the commercial growing of GE food crops.
When asked what Coles' position was, at a Parliamentary forum on Tuesday, Coles representative Chris Mara stated that, "Coles listens to our customers and over 90% do not want GM ingredients in their food and Coles whole private label range of
'Smart Buy', 'You'll Love Coles' and 'Coles Finest' exclude all GM ingredients in response to customer concerns."
Coles statements come hot on the heels of Goodman Fielder, Australia's largest food company, Tatiara Meats, Australia’s largest lamb exporter and 250 other food companies calling on the State Governments to extend their bans of GE Food crops.
Scott Kinnear from Biological Farmers of Australia said, “If GE crops are introduced in Australia, non-GE and organic farmers will have to bear the crippling costs of testing, segregation, supply chain management and will be held liable if they sell non-GE product that is contaminated.
“Australian farmers will lose valuable export markets and the country will lose its lucrative GE-free status forever. I urge the Government of Victoria and John Brumby to listen to its constituents by reconsidering its unpopular position and extend the ban.”
Greenpeace genetic engineering campaigner Louise Sales said, “It is blatantly clear that the food industry doesn’t want GE in their food supply chain and according to recent polls neither do the majority of consumers, farmers or our key export markets in Japan and Europe. Why is the Victorian government so determined to lift the bans? The only other stakeholder that appears to want GE food crops is the biotechnology industry which stands to make a fortune at everyone else's expense if this dangerous, unwanted technology is introduced.”
Gene Ethics Director Bob Phelps says, "Agribusiness has clearly not won the confidence of the rest of the food industry when it comes to GE crops. Until they have, the bans should stay."
State Governments introduced the moratoria on GE food crops in 2004 because of concerns within industry, the farming sector and regional communities about the impact of GE crops on markets. The Victorian government is set to make its decision to lift the ban based on the findings of a commissioned report by Sir Gus Nossal recently submitted to cabinet. However, the report which has not been released to the public, only investigates trade implications and does not examine health or environmental risks.
For further information:
Scott Kinnear Biological Farmers of Australia 0419 881 729
Louise Sales Greenpeace 0438 679 263
Bob Phelps Gene Ethics 0408 195 099
Also visit: www.gefreeaustralia.org
|
|
|
|
|
|