Latest ARS Food & Nutrition Research Briefs Posted

The Agricultural Research Service has posted the January 2003 issue of Food & Nutrition Research Briefs on its web site at:

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

The Research Briefs present concise updates about ARS research in human nutrition, food freshness and safety, and new foods. Web visitors can search the newsletter, including past issues. They can also sign up to receive future issues of the Briefs by e-mail.

Included in the January 2003 issue:

• Dark-orange carrots may supply more of an important antioxidant, beta-carotene, than their lighter-orange counterparts.
• Exercise such as lifting weights helped Hispanic Americans with type 2 diabetes- reduce their reliance on diabetes medication.
• Blueberries may boost brain power, if tests with laboratory rats prove true for humans.
• Seniors who took calcium and vitamin D supplements for a nutrition study lost fewer teeth than elderly who didn't receive the supplements.
• A healthful new baby formula was made possible, in part, by ARS research on oil from cotton seed.
• New trees that yield cacao for making chocolate, cocoa and cocoa butter are resistant to key insect and fungal enemies.

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

Contact: Marcia Wood, USDA-ARS Information Staff, Beltsville, MD 20705; phone (301) 504-1662, fax (301) 504-1641, e-mail marciawood@ars.usda.gov.