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.

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.

Ginger Volunteers, Baby Ginger, New Drinks, Agroforestry & Meat Proteins

We'll start this week by visiting Taiwan and a pleasing story in Focus Taiwan. This season has seen a glut of ginger on the east coast of the country which has resulted in a drop in price. Farmers, although skilled in producing the ginger, have been struggling in their attempts to sell the harvest. But help has appeared in the form of Star Liu, a university student, and his friend, Terry Kuo. They have been buying ginger from farmers in their home area and selling it for a considerably higher price in the capital, Taipei. They have also engaged in adding value by selling hot ginger tea on the streets of Taipei on cold winter days. This philanthropic act has been so well received that people from Japan and Singapore have also volunteered to help.

The Rodale Institute, a leading US organic agriculture research centre, recommends that farmers produce baby ginger as an unusual way of attracting customers. Baby, or immature, ginger is proving popular in the US for its aroma and mild flavour. Although it is normally grown in the ideal surroundings of Hawaii, it is also being grown as a niche crop undercover by farmers in seemingly unsuitable locations such as Virginia and Pennsylvania. What makes it attractive to US growers is its relatively short shelf life. Baby ginger, harvested after four to six months instead of the usual eight to nine months, can only be stored at room temperature for two to three weeks which rules out shipments (and therefore competition) from overseas.

The American Farm Bureau Federation website, The Voice of Agriculture, contains a fascinating video about farmers in Virginia growing ginger in high tunnels. You may find that the video takes a little while to load but it's worth the wait.

The Fiji Times featured a local farmer who started growing ginger in the early days, gave it up in favour of different crops and has now returned to ginger once again. The story is interesting in itself but when I read that he had been nominated as chairman of the Ginger Council I immediately thought, "what is the Ginger Council?". Well, it was created by an Act of Parliament, the Ginger Council Of Fiji Act, 1996 (this is an RTF file which will require something like Word of Word Viewer). I am not sure but I assume that this body replaced the Ginger Growers Council of Fiji which was established in 1993. Anyway, the principal functions of the Ginger Council are to self-regulate the industry, to produce ginger as cost-effectively as possible and to identify potential export markets.

The Kathmandu Post reported that a Nepalese national level trade association called the Nepal Ginger Producers and Traders Association has been formed with the support of the United States Agency for International Development to promote the interests of ginger farmers. It is envisaged that this new association will also seek to satisfy domestic demand and create new export markets. Currently, India is the destination for around 99 percent of ginger exports. Nepal produces 210,000 tonnes of ginger a year of which 140,000 tonnes are exported. The district of Ilam (the country is divided into 75 districts) is responsible for 65 percent of total production.

It has been a busy week of announcements in the UK for ginger drinks. Blavod Wines and Spirits is launching Red Leg, a premium Caribbean rum spiced with ginger and vanilla. Swedish cider maker Rekorderlig is to launch an orange and ginger cider. And finally, Stone’s Ginger Joe alcoholic ginger beer has secured listings with the Yates’s pub chain and Carlsberg UK, a leading on-trade wholesaler.

Away from the UK, Carlsberg Denmark has launched Somersby Ginger Lemon alcoholic cider (4.5% abv) but only, I believe, for the Danish market initially. In the US, Bruce Cost Ginger Ale now includes passion fruit in its range of unfiltered ginger ales. This new drink also includes a touch of turmeric.

Brewbound, an excellent US site for beer news, reported on the nationwide rollout of three cider varietals from the Angry Orchard Cider Company. One of these drinks is Apple Ginger (5.0% abv) which is a blend of Italian and French apples with fresh Nigerian ginger. Sounds nice.

I am being followed on Twitter by a couple of diabetes organisations - Diabetes UK and The Diabetes Care. I've noticed the occasional reference to ginger and diabetes but I've never really checked to see whether ginger may be beneficial to sufferers or not. So I had a browse and found this interesting Kuwaiti research paper called 'Anti-diabetic and hypolipidaemic properties of ginger (Zingiber officinale) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats' from 2006. I won't spoil the read for you (assuming that you find a link for this paper as the Cambridge URL which I'm using keeps changing) but I will say that the outcome is promising. The report concludes by stating that "ginger may be of great value in managing the effects of diabetic complications in human subjects".

In the past, farmers in the Padma floodplain of Bangladesh practised a traditional system of agriculture. This gradually became unsustainable following the rapid increase in population growth. So in the 1990s, scientists recommended that the farmers adopt the mango-based agroforestry system. This system works by planting a few mango trees in and around the selected food crop. This food crop could be ginger or turmeric or one of many other essential commodities. The Center for International Forestry Research blog has just reported the findings of a research paper in the Small-scale Forestry journal on the effectiveness of mango-based agroforestry systems. The research found that a mango-based cropping system coupled with, for example, ginger is more productive than growing ginger on its own. The farmers now have two crops to harvest which means two crops to sell. This increases income and provides income security. The extra money can then be spent on education, housing, sanitation and health needs. Although mango trees can fruit for decades, after a certain stage the fruit yield drops. The trees can then be felled and the wood used for fuel or making furniture.

I also came across what the Indians believe is an under-exploited crop called mango ginger. Surprisingly, it is not related to either mango or ginger but to turmeric. It is popular in Indian pickles.

The Philippine Information Agency reported an interview with the mayor of Pinabacdao, a municipality in the province of Samar, Philippines. He stated that ginger farmers in the hills of Pinabacdao may just be able to rise out of poverty following increased domestic interest in ginger's health benefits and a deal with a Japanese bilk buyer. The mayor will back up his claim by investing public money in farming equipment to ensure that his municipality produces the best ginger in the region.

Just out of interest I checked Wikipedia to find out what a municipality is and discovered that it is a local government unit equivalent to a town. These municipalities are divided into classes based on average annual income during the last three calendar years. The classes range from 1st at the top to 6th at the bottom. Pinabacdao is ranked as 3rd class.

A number of websites, including news.com.au, have reported recently on the latest developments in the Red Meat Combifoods research programme in New Zealand. The purpose of this programme is to find ways that meat proteins can be isolated and then used in other foods. One such resulting food is thyme and ginger-flavoured ice cream. Make up your own mind.

BBC News told us about the food enjoyed by Captain Scott and his team during the expedition to the South Pole a century ago. On special occasions they had crystallised ginger.

Aggie Research reports on a forthcoming paper from North Carolina Central University and North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. The paper, to be presented this coming week, will show that "ginger extract and its purified component increase red blood cell production (erythropoiesis) in transgenic zebrafish recovering from anaemia, as well as in normal non-anaemic zebrafish". The scientists also discovered that "ginger and its purified component stimulate a signaling pathway that encourages blood stem-cell formation".

Making Ginger Beer, Memory Aid, Anti-Ageing & Seed Stock

It's very rare to find in the press details of the production process of a commercial ginger beer. So I was pleased to read a surprisingly detailed account in the Democrat and Chronicle of how the Ithaca Beer Company in New York State makes its non-alcoholic ginger beer. It was interesting to discover that the beer is made in small batches of about 775 gallons with each batch containing 40 pounds of fresh ginger root. The addition of pure cane sugar and lemon juice (widely accepted as essential ingredients) finishes off a ginger beer which only takes 45-60 minutes to produce.

Spotted this unusual cocktail last week - Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew. This drink can be found in Hawksmoor restaurants in London and is made from gin, homemade ginger syrup, lemon juice and London Pride, a premium ale from the Fuller's brewery.

I was reading a research paper from Thailand which has shown that ginger is a potential cognitive enhancer for healthy, middle-aged women. It appears that the research was prompted by the development of cognitive enhancers from plants possessing antioxidant properties. Although researchers at Khon Kaen University showed the benefit of ginger on the participants, I'm not convinced about why middle-aged women were identified as needing assistance. Apparently, "middle-aged women performed poorly in various areas of cognitive function including attention, calculation and immediate recall (assessed using Minimental state examination (MMSE))". I also found a similar research paper by the same team entitled 'Ginger Supplementation Enhances Working Memory of the Post-Menopause Women'.

Arabian folklore holds that ginger can improve memory. I really must remember to eat and drink more ginger.

Isthmus had a passing reference last week to an interesting beer planned for release next month. Vintage Brewing Company of Madison, Wisconsin, will be producing a spiced, strong golden ale called Jinja Ninja. According to the article it is sure to have spicy ginger qualities. The name of the beer sounded familiar and then I remembered. Jinja Ninja is also an award-winning English bottled beer from the Peerless Brewing Company which is brewed with root ginger, chillies and lemons. It is also an alcoholic boutique ginger beer from Sydney.

The Times of India carried an article on how to fight the health problems brought on by the change from winter to summer (whatever happened to spring?). Apparently there is an increase in colds and coughs caused by the extremes of day and night temperatures, viral infections and allergens. The article stated that consumption of ginger and garlic should be increased to build a strong immune system. I can manage that.

The Times of India has also published its list of the top six anti-ageing foods and it includes ginger. Actually, it includes the dynamic duo again - ginger and garlic. The article says that ginger helps to rejuvenate cells and prevent damage.

A Nigerian business consultancy blog informed me that about 92 percent of Nigerian ginger production is actually exported. It also told me that Kaduna, Nasarawa, Benue, Niger and Gombe are Nigeria's ginger-growing states. And if I've read the blog correctly, it seems that the UK is the biggest importer of Nigerian (?) ginger in the EU, closely followed by the Netherlands and a long way ahead of Germany and France.

Last November I wrote about the sad cases of suicide amongst ginger farmers in the Indian state of Kerala. I thought that we had seen the end of this but last week The Hindu reported two new cases. One farmer in Wayanad was unable to repy his loans after wild animals destroyed his crops. The other farmer is said to have found it difficult to repay his debt following a sharp fall in the price of ginger. Let's hope that this is not the start of another spate.

In my last post I wrote about the Jamaican government's plan to match non-cash public assets with private companies finance. The Gleaner has now reported that two Jamaican companies, Salada Foods and P.A. Benjamin Manufacturing, have partnered with the agriculture ministry in a project to provide ginger and turmeric 'seed' stock. The project will be based at the government's Orange River Research Station. The seed stock will be grown under cover for eventual open field cultivation. For both companies, using Jamaican ginger will be a unique selling point.

The King’s Ginger, a ginger liqueur from Berry Bros & Rudd, is now available in Australia from this month. Australians will now be able to enjoy a drink which I first tasted and praised over a year ago.

The Hindu Business Line reported that shipments of Indian ginger have exceeded the government’s target for the first nine months of the current fiscal year. The target for the period was 10,000 tonnes but the country actually shipped 12,150 tonnes. Although the current price is double that of a year earlier, it is still $500 a tonne below the international price.

The same article also mentioned that cultivation of the internationally-renowned Cochin ginger is being reduced because of a drop in the price. This is surprising as Cochin ginger normally commands a premium which reflects its status. Its high quality and fibreless content makes it ideal for drying. I believe that there will always be a market for Cochin ginger so if the remaining farmers can stick with it, basic economics will dictate that the price and premium will eventually rise again.

Referring to the same information-packed article again, Kerala is home to a high oil content ginger commonly known as 'Ellakalan'. But because the extraction units in the state have now switched to cheaper low oil content varieties from Nigeria and Ethiopia, cultivation of Ellakalan has gradually disappeared.

The Financial Express reported that Indian ginger prices are likely to come under further pressure from cheaper Nigerian and Ethiopian imports. It also said that domestic prices will remain low because of record production, particularly in the south of the country. Traders believe that ginger consumption in the north will decline as the weather becomes hotter. Strange considering that in the West a chilled ginger drink is regarded as an ideal refreshment during the summer. Perhaps an enterprising ginger farmer in Kerala or Karnataka could produce a range of ginger-based soft drinks such as ginger and lime, and ginger and pineapple.