Natural Sweetener Stevia Makes a Gutsy Comeback

February 22, 2022 USDA ARS

Good news for consumers seeking healthy sugar substitutes! ARS scientists with the Dairy and Functional Foods Unit in Wyndmoor, PA, have made an exciting discovery, finding that the popular natural sugar substitute stevia had no negative effect on human gut health.  

Postharvest Physiologist Penelope Perkins-Veazie Presents “Phytochemicals, Postharvest, and Human Health: The Next Chapter “

August 9, 2021 USDA ARS

“Up to half of the fruits and vegetables produced never get consumed, which has negative impacts on natural resources, economic returns and human health. We’ve come to realize that preserving produce quality has become increasingly critical to making fruits and vegetables a larger part of our diet, which helps sustain health and ultimately improves the quality of life,” Perkins-Veazie said.

Pickling Cucumbers Fused with Health Promoting Compound

Researchers at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and North Carolina State University (NCSU) recently found that a stable, naturally occurring, health-promoting compound called γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), was generated through the fermentation of brined cucumbers.

Microbe Turns Bread Waste Into Useful Compound

An Agricultural Research Service (ARS) team in Peoria, IL, found a way to use bacteria to convert the glucose (sugar) in bread waste into a compound known as 2KGA (2-keto-D-gluconic acid).

Numerous Health Benefits Found in Summer-Favorite Watermelon

May 28, 2021 USDA ARS

Researchers in the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) recently identified over 1,500 small molecules of diverse chemical characters in the fruit, known as phytochemicals. They concluded that eating watermelon is an excellent way to increase your intake of antioxidants, non-protein amino acids and lycopene. This means that every time you eat watermelon, you’ll be improving the health of your cells, organs and nervous system.