Latest ARS Food & Nutrition Research Briefs Posted

The Agricultural Research Service has posted the January 2002 issue of the Food & Nutrition Research Briefs to its web site at:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/np/fnrb

The Research Briefs is a quarterly newsletter containing the latest ARS findings in human nutrition, food freshness and safety, and new foods and varieties.

You can search the newsletter, including past issues, from the URL listed above. If you're not sure how to search for what you want, the "tips" link is very helpful.

In addition, you can now subscribe to receive future issues of the Briefs via e-mail.

Included in the January 2002 issue:

• Brightly colored purple, red and orange potatoes high in antioxidants may someday soon appear at a grocer near you.
• An interactive nutrition survey shows that while homocysteine levels were associated with memory loss among the over-60 set, those whose blood folate levels were up appeared to garner some measure of protection.
• In lab tests using cell cultures, berry and grape extracts were used to suppress breast cancer cell growth.
• A test may be developed that would detect the presence and amount of a protein that could help telegraph risk of heart attack and stroke.

ARS is the chief scientific agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.