Welcome Rain, Hawaiian Ginger & Antimicrobial Activity

Ginger farmers in Queensland, and the Gympie region in particular, have been worried about the drought-like conditions they have endured since the middle of last year. So they were relieved when it eventually started to rain with the arrival of the remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Oswald. And rain it certainly has. According to The Gympie Times the Langshaw ginger farm received 600mm (nearly 24") of rain in four days. This amount of rain falling in four days would normally indicate very heavy downpours but it was actually gentle rain. Because of this there was remarkably little erosion and the crops survived. Queensland produces about 80% of Australia's ginger.

Patrick Atanalian, the executive chef at the Sanctuary restaurant in Minneapolis, has created a simple but unusual dish. He has taken a classic potato soup and given it a bit of a bite with the addition of ginger beer.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has revealed that Nepal has become the third largest producer of ginger in the world after India and China. In 2011 the country produced 216,289 tonnes of ginger. A continuing concern for the Nepalese government must be that India buys 98 percent of the country’s total ginger exports. (Source: The Kathmandu Post).

The Department of Botany at Gauhati University in North-East recently completed a research project entitled "Comparative Chemical Constituents And Antimicrobial Activity Of Normal And Organic Ginger Oils". It concluded that organic ginger oil was more effective than non-organic ginger oil at fighting Stephylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli and all the fungal strains except Penicillium sp.

The Ohio Breweries blog informs us that the Great Lakes Christmas Ale (which contains ginger as a significant component) was the top craft beer in terms of sales in Ohio and the ninth in the whole of the USA. And to think that it is only on sale for eight weeks. The brewery produced 359 batches (I don't know how large a batch is) which contained 7,000lbs of ginger.

For the last few years the University of Hawaii at Manoa has been conducting research into bacterial wilt of edible ginger in conjunction with Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE). Bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) is the biggest threat to ginger farmers in Hawaii and many other ginger-growing countries. The aim of the project is to grow wilt-free ginger in pathogen-free soil. (Sources: University of Hawaii, SARE).

One of the participants in this research project is Hugh "Biker Dude" Johnson from Puna Organics in Hawaii. He supplies many of the ginger farms springing up in the eastern USA. Johnson was the first farmer in the world to export organic ginger.

Parts of Hawaii suffer from an infestation of Kahili ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum), an ornamental ginger which features in the top 100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species. Interestingly, a strain of Ralstonia solanacearum has been used as a biological control against Kahili ginger.

The ginger harvest has started on time in the Nilphamari district of northern Bangladesh, according to The Financial Express. It is too early to speculate on the quality and quantity of this year's harvest but the district, which in the past produced enough ginger for the entire country, currently accounts for half of Bangladesh's needs.

Buderim Ginger announced recently that chief executive Murray Richardson had resigned for family reasons after just eight months in the role. I don't know what effect that will have on the company.

Ginger Research, Import Concerns, Theft & Christmas

Let's start with a sporting trivia question. What did Babe Ruth, the legendary American baseball player, enjoy for breakfast? Apparently, he drank two pints of bourbon and ginger ale. Ruth must have enjoyed his ginger as he personally endorsed Red Rock Cola, a popular ginger ale and cola product.

The story about Fijian ginger exports to Australia continues. Queensland farmers and politicians are concerned about the risk of pest infestation and the threat to jobs resulting from cheap imports. These farmers have raised their concerns with the Australian Senate Rural and Regional Affairs committee. This committee will produce a report by the 29th of November. Interestingly, Queensland farmers are also concerned about the import of pineapples from Malaysia.

Ginger is a very important export commodity for Fiji. The bulk of these exports, at 830,000 kg and worth $6million, takes the form of immature ginger principally for the New Zealand and European markets.

James White Drinks has extended its Beet It range of beetroot juices with the launch of Beet It With Ginger, an organic beetroot juice with ginger. The Food & Drink Innovation Network reports the owner of James White as saying that as only 30% of people love beetroot, adding ginger will immediately increase that percentage. I should be able to find a bottle in my local Waitrose.

McCormick, the international herb and spice producer, has identified ginger as one of seven must-have flavours for the forthcoming festive season, according to a company news release. I've never really thought about ginger with my Christmas turkey but the possibility of a ginger and orange glaze immediately comes to mind. What do you think?

The Birmingham Mail reports that thieves have made off with £12,000 worth of Fox’s ginger nuts and shortcakes from a Walsall industrial estate. This haul is obviously too much for personal consumption so will have to be offloaded somewhere. So if you are having a quiet pint in a West Midlands pub, don't be surprised if someone whispers over your shoulder, "Psst, want some ginger?".

As we have seen in previous posts, Americans have developed a taste for Belgian-style Witbier with ginger. I've found another one, this time from San Francisco's Triple Voodoo Brewing, called Witopia. This 5.5% abv wheat beer contains ginger, coriander & orange peel. (Source: Shanken News Daily).

Still in the US and November 1st sees the launch of this year's Christmas Ale from the Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland, Ohio. This four-times World Beer Championships gold medal winner is a holiday ale which has been brewed with the addition of fresh ginger, honey and cinnamon. I think that this shows that ginger-spiced beers and ales can not only be refreshing in the summer but also warming in the winter.

And here is another one from the States. Sabra Dipping Company has just launched Asian Fusion Garden Hummus where Asia meets the Mediterranean. This interesting sounding hummus is made from ginger and sesame (and a few other things).

Next year will see the publication of a research paper entitled "Value-added bioethanol from spent ginger obtained after oleoresin extraction". Conducted by the Food Engineering and Technology Department at the Institute of Chemical Technology in Mumbai, the research will show that spent ginger can be used to produce bioethanol. The spent ginger is what remains after the extraction of oleoresin and constitutes more than 90% of the original raw material.

I like to keep an eye on ginger agricultural developments in the US. This is a country which, apart from Hawaii, has not been known for growing ginger. But an increasing number of innovative, adventurous and entrepreneurial farmers have taken the plunge and started to produce ginger. To assist these farmers, the University of Minnesota has established a ginger research programme at its Southern Research & Outreach Centre in Waseca. Researchers here plant 100-150 pounds of ginger a year in high tunnels.

The Kathmandu Post reports that the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Nepal Ministry of Commerce and Supply will be promoting the production of ginger in Taplejung and Bhojpur districts. Both of these districts are known for growing ginger. This new initiative will introduce improved ginger 'seed' with the intention of harvesting ginger with a lower fibre content. Low fibre is a characteristic in demand in the international markets and can command a higher price.

Flying On Ginger, Running On Ginger & New Drinks

A Singapore Airlines guide recommends either drinking ginger ale or eating a ginger-based Oriental dish to combat airsickness, according to an article in The Australian. But the article does suggest that if you take the ginger ale option, let it go flat first. This is because carbonated drinks can cause bloating through the expansion of stomach gases when descending. And I'm sure we all know what happens with excess gas.

The Dorset Ginger Company has added to its increasingly popular range with the launch of a new variant, “Strong and Dark”. The company has built its reputation on the Dorset Original Ginger drink but, following customer research, found that a sizeable number wanted a stronger tasting version. Hence the aptly named new drink.

Over to Sydney now and the release of a ginger-spiced real ale for the Australian winter. The Malt Shovel Brewery has produced Ginger Chops Alcoholic Ginger Ale with an abv of 4.2%. It also contains a little Australian honey. A post on the brewery blog contains the following line: "It won’t cure the common cold, but it’s sure to keep your innards warm this winter, while you doze off and dream of all things ginger". I'm sure that they meant to write "... and dream of All Things Ginger".

Traditionally, the planting of ginger 'seed' in many parts of India starts with the onset of the monsoon season. The heavy and widespread rain is essential for the newly-planted ginger to become well established. The monsoon system which graces India is known as the Southwest monsoon, or 'Nairutya Maarut', and persists from June to September. But this year the rain has been somewhat erratic. The monsoon arrived three days later than predicted, moved across many, but not all, expected areas and then stopped for a week. According to the Deccan Herald, this absence of heavy rain in the state of Karnataka has affected the sowing of ginger, an important crop for many farmers. Information regarding the progress of the monsoon can be found at the India Meteorological Department website.

Business Standard reported that Indian ginger exports rose by 37% in the last financial year with a corresponding 69% increase in value. In terms of actual tonnage (21,550 tonnes) it is not that large for the world's biggest producer of ginger but it is still quite impressive when you consider that the vast majority of the country's output is for local consumption. So it is understandable that farmers are concerned when their planting schedule is disrupted.

Two new styles of drinks have been launched in the USA, neither of which I have encountered before. The first concerns Mamma Chia which has launched three new chia-based vitality beverages including Grapefruit Ginger. Chia, or Salvia hispanica, is a flowering plant from the mint family which is grown in central America and neighbouring regions for the seeds it produces.

The second launch concerns Reed’s, Inc., maker of a range of non-alcoholic ginger drinks, which has entered the Kombucha market with the launch of four ginger-based flavours in its new Culture Club Kombucha range. Kombucha is an effervescent fermentation of sweetened tea which originated in Northeast China and is now appearing around the world (but not, it seems, where I live).

I've just discovered Jeremiah Weed Root Brew at a local supermarket. Naturally, I bought a bottle which I plan to open in the next few days. I'll let you know what I think.

The grough website reported on the remarkable endurance feat of Colin Meek who has just completed a 30-day 600 mile run along Scotland's watershed. This watershed is a drainage divide which runs north to south through the country separating river systems which flow to the east from those which flow to the west. As well as running such a distance, Colin had to climb over 30 munros. A munro is a Scottish mountain over 3,000 feet high. What brought this article to my attention was that he sustained himself with Fentimans Ginger Beer.

Today (July 1st) is officially Canada Day although, as it is Sunday this year, tomorrow is the statutory holiday. To celebrate the day, Ipsos-Reid conducted a survey of which one question was to select a national drink. Although beer topped the list with 42%, ginger ale came in a creditable fourth with 17%. Happy birthday Canada!

Still in Canada and a potted history about Canada Dry Ginger Ale in the National Post. The article mentioned that the drink received praise from the 8th Duke of Devonshire who pronounced it "the champagne of ginger ales". He must have known what he was talking about; he had been the British Secretary of State for India. India introduced the British to the pleasures of ginger.

Two weeks ago I wrote about a ginger flavoured Belgian Saison-style beer from Utica in New York. Saison beers, it appears, are becoming increasingly popular in the US. I have found another one and this time it is on the other side of the country in San Diego, California. The Green Flash Brewery has created Saison Diego, an unfiltered golden ale with orange peel, grains of paradise and Chinese ginger. Grains of paradise, or Aframomum melegueta, is a member of the ginger family.

Last week I highlighted the concern shown by Queensland's Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry minister about the bacterial dangers of importing fresh ginger from Fiji. This concern has now been backed by the president of the Australian Ginger Growers Association, Anthony Rehbein. According to News Mail, he fears that Fijian ginger could have unknown diseases and strains that are more virulent than anything in Australia. He is also concerned that the price of Fijian ginger could drive down the price of domestically grown ginger to the point were it would become uneconomic.

There is good news for Bangladeshi shoppers this Ramadan, according to The Daily Star. In past years the price of basic commodities such as ginger has risen to exorbitant levels during the month of fasting. But this year Commerce Ministry officials, businessmen and traders have agreed to limit profits to no more than ten percent.

Another piece of scientific research using ginger and yet another one from Nigeria. The study, 'Effect of chronic intake of Zingiber officinale (ginger) enriched diet on the gastrointestinal sections of albino rats', was conducted by the Department of Biochemistry at the Federal University Of Technology. The research demonstrated the digestive stimulatory effect of ginger.

Ginger Research, Prevent Rot & Politics To Ginger Ale

I came across two articles last week about a possible link between weight loss and ginger consumption. I would like it to be known that I wasn't actively looking for weight loss tips but, if I'm honest, I could lose a few pounds. Anyway, let's start with a Chinese diabetes site, diabeter. It mentioned a study which found that ginger, as a thermogenic food, increases the metabolic rate which, in turn, increases energy output. Basically, it purports to burn off the calories.

The second article, in Food Product Design, was a report on a study with the lengthy title "Ginger consumption enhances the thermic effect of food and promotes feelings of satiety without affecting metabolic and hormonal parameters in overweight men: A pilot study". This study, conducted by the Institute of Human Nutrition at Columbia University in New York, has found that drinking a hot ginger beverage with breakfast can reduce feelings of hunger in overweight men later in the day.

Fentimans is a well-known and well-loved non-alcoholic drinks company which has been around for over one hundred years. It was started by Thomas Fentiman in 1905 when he acquired a recipe for a botanically-brewed ginger beer. Although the company has brought out a range of non-ginger drinks over the years, it is only now that a new ginger drink has been created. Big Hospitality has reported that Fentimans has launched a botanically-brewed ginger ale mixer, but only for the on-trade. It has been developed as an accompaniment to whisky and contains galangal, cinnamon and pear juice.

Earlier this month I wrote about Nigerian research into using ginger and garlic to extend the shelf life Kunun-zaki, a popular local non-alcoholic drink. Well, Nigerian scientists have been at it again. The Journal of Stored Products and Postharvest Research published a report earlier this year entitled "Storage and consumer acceptability of fruit: Ginger based drinks for combating micronutrient deficiency". Fruits are an excellent source of micronutrients for Nigerians (anyone, in fact) but, as we all know, the level of micronutrients starts to decrease soon after harvesting. This study found that adding ginger to a range of fruit juices (pineapple, orange & paw-paw) reduced the presence of microorganisms noticeably as long as the drinks were kept refrigerated.

The Fiji Times informed us that last year Fiji earned $30.4 million from the export of root crops and vegetables. Out of this figure, ginger accounted for an $6.4 million, an impressive 21%. A government official said that agriculture is the backbone of Fiji's economy and that farmers and investors should be encouraged to expand the sector with the backing of government time and resources.

Fiji exports most of its ginger to Australia although it is attempting to enter European markets. Understandably, Fiji would like to increase its ginger exports to Australia. But, according to My Sunshine Coast, there could be a slight problem. Queensland's Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry minister, John McVeigh, has said that he will fight the Federal government's decision to allow imports of fresh ginger from Fiji. He claims that the ginger could harbour bacterial diseases and contaminated soil.

India's Daily News & Analysis was one of many sites to report on a joint venture between Gujarat University and the Confederation of Indian Industries. They will create the Centre of Excellence in Nano Technology to extract natural dyes from turmeric, ginger, garlic and leaves using environmentally-friendly methods.

Research into the medical uses of ginger is taking place all around the world. I noticed that last Thursday was the closing date for volunteers to register for an Iranian clinical trial called "The effects of ginger on hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes". This could be a significant study as cases of both hypertension (or high blood pressure) and diabetes are increasing markedly.

For those of you interested in growing ginger, Jamaica's The Gleaner published some advice from the government's Department of the Rural Agriculture Development Authority on how to prevent rhizome rot (part 2). This disease affects ginger crops in many parts of the world so it is well worth a read.

Still in Jamaica and the government's Agriculture and Fisheries minister, Roger Clarke, who has said that ginger production is among the fastest growing agricultural sectors globally. That's what I like to hear.

I found a fascinating business start-up story on Richmond BizSense, a business site for Richmond, Virginia. Casey Werderman has launched Humdinger Craft Soda with its first offering being Humdinger Ginger Ale. I'd be interested to know whether locally grown ginger is used (if you haven't seen previous posts, ginger is actually grown in Virginia, some close to Richmond). Casey works full-time as a public affairs manager but his previous job was as chief of staff to a Virginia Senate Majority Leader.

Worried Ginger Farmers, Fijian Investment, Ginger Coffee Launch And Big Hairy Moustache

ABC Wide Bay, the Australian TV and radio station which covers part of Queensland's ginger growing region, had an interesting report on the problems facing farmers as they embark on a new ginger season. Since last year ginger crops in both the Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast areas suffered badly from the fungal rot pythium. Both areas typically produce 80pc of Australia's ginger annual output but last year some growers lost up to 70pc of their crops. These farmers have now planted this year's ginger 'seed' with trepidation and those farmers not affected last year are understandably concerned. I wish the farmers well for the coming months and I'll let you know of their progress.

Still on the subject of Australian ginger, here is an interview from ABC Brisbane with Ron O’Grady, CEO of Buderim Ginger.

I've reported occasionally in the past about the progress being made by the Fijian ginger industry to establish itself on the world stage. The Fiji Times has now told us of a $1 million three-year investment programme launched by the Fijian government to revitalise the ginger industry. It is hoped that the investment will improve the country's export earnings from the current $6.3 million to $9 million a year. Basically, the plan is to develop ginger 'seed' with increased vigour which can be grown throughout the country rather than selected areas as at present. Fiji currently produces more than 2000 tonnes of ginger a year of which nearly 50pc is exported, principally to Australia and Hawaii.

Various African websites reported last week about Nestlé Nigeria's launch of its Nescafé Ginger & Lemon coffee. I've noticed that ginger coffee is very popular in many parts of Africa (and the Middle East as well) but, as I've said before, I don't know why it isn't marketed in Europe and beyond. Back to Nestlé Nigeria and the news that this product is being introduced into the health market because of the "beneficial health properties of ginger and lemon". It's questionable whether a statement like that would be allowed in many countries.

Last week a number of websites, including The Drum, reported the launch of a £2 million advertising campaign for Ginger Joe, the alcoholic ginger beer. Depending on which site you read, I'm not certain whether this launch is the start of the £2 million or whether it is the next stage within an existing £2 million. Whichever it is, it's a lot of money. The centrepiece of the campaign will be Ginger Joe's signature ginger moustache, a brand mark fast becoming readily associated with the product. The moustache features quite prominantly, 78 feet's worth of prominence actually, on a billboard unveiled earlier this month in Shoreditch in London. The giant hairy moustache is overlaid with the message "Thanks for donating to our big hairy poster".

By the time you read this you may well have heard about the new flavour to be added to the range of Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beers. Apparently we will only have to wait until the end of October to find out. The phenomenal onslaught of Crabbie's and the rapid emergence of Ginger Joe is shaping up to be an interesting battle. Although the producers may argue that they are aiming at different markets and demographics, I can't help but think of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, and Blur and Oasis.

Instant Salabat, Cocktails, Kharif Crops & Fruit Flies

Today (Sunday) will be the last day of this year's Agraryo Trade Fair in Mandaluyong City in the Philippines. I mention this because the fair will feature the famous (well, in the Philippines at least) Badiangan Instant Salabat or Ginger Brew. The tea is a product of the Badiangan Ginger Planters and Producers Co-operative (BGPPC), an organisation representing ginger farmers from seven districts. BGPPC was formed in 1998 to assist ginger farmers who had suffered when their sole export market (Japan) collapsed following the dishonest dealings of some farmers and traders who sold ginger rhizomes mixed with ginger-liked products. Inevitably it will take time and patience to recover from a tarnished image.

I never cease to be amazed at the number of cocktails from around the world which contain ginger. So it is not surprising to find that many of these cocktails come from the world's largest producer of ginger - India. The Mumbai Boss reported that a restaurant in the city (The Elbo Room) now serves two ginger-based drinks. The Nashik Mule is made from Triple Sec, white wine, curry leaves and ginger. Jamaicano is made from shiraz, orange juice, pineapple juice and ginger ale. Note that both drinks have the ever-popular ginger and orange combination in common.

The results of a study into a number of ginger specimens with varying genetic characteristics has just been published. The research, titled Variability of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) Accessions for Morphological and Some Quality Traits in Ethiopia, was led by Jimma University. The report states that the average ginger yield is "very low" at 15.87 tonnes/ha. I didn't think that figure was too bad as the world average two years ago was just over 2.5 t/ha. But Ethiopian scientists believe that they can do better. The point of the experiment was not to find a "super" ginger variety ( which would have been known already) but to uncover sought-after traits across a number of varieties. Various characteristics were measured and certain readings proved to be of significant interest such as the speed of growth through to maturity, the rhizome yield, oil content and the marked differences between Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian stock.

Farmers in Pakistan are becoming concerned as the cost of fertiliser has started to rise steeply just before the start of the Kharif crops planting season. Kharif crops are crops (including ginger) which are sown in the rainy season in India and Pakistan. The fertiliser producers are claiming that production is being hampered by the lack of a reliable gas supply and that this has resulted in a fertiliser shortage.

Scientists at the Queensland University of Technology are facing a race against time to find an environmentally acceptable way of controlling the fruit fly before existing chemical methods are restricted or possibly banned. The fruit fly is proving to be a major pest for fruit and vegetable growers in tropical and subtropical Australia. A promising method under investigation is to lure male fruit flies with ginger essence (zingerone) and then kill them with a small amount of insecticide placed in the trap. To be honest, it is going to prove very difficult to eradicate the fruit fly without employing insecticides but if they must be used then their use in a limited and controlled environment must be the way to go.

Have a look at this ginger ale taste test, US-style.

Biosecurity Visit, Ginger Fungus And Horse Racing Sponsorship

An Australian biosecurity team has visited Fiji to inspect the ginger farms. Fiji would like to break into the Australian market with its fresh ginger. At present it only supplies processed ginger which currently is being well received because of its texture and fibre. The biosecurity team will analyse all aspects of the farms to assess the risks of any potential pests and infectious diseases.

The fungus which affected Queensland’s ginger last year now appears to be spreading after recent wet weather. The Sunshine Coast, renowned for its ginger products, has suffered more than its fair share of inclement weather of late. The current conditions are proving ideal for the spread of pythium soft rot, a highly destructive disease which some of you may have encountered with your tulips. According to Bioversity International "Pythium soft rot is notoriously difficult to manage...all ginger cultivars available today are highly susceptible to soft rot and no resistance or tolerance source has yet been identified".  Bioversity continues "Recent progress...suggests the possibility of broadening the genetic base of ginger...in order to locate a suitable donor for soft rot resistance". I'm sure I speak for all of us in wishing Bioversity International well in its endeavours.

It has been announced that Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer will be the title sponsor for the Perth Festival, a three-day horse racing event. This year's meeting will be held from April 27-29. Crabbie's will also sponsor next year's meeting.