January 27, 2012
WOOSTER, Ohio -- How much sugar is in your vegetables? How sweet might they taste? What factors influence sugar levels in vegetables? Are you interested in learning how to measure sugar levels using Brix values? The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) will be offering two workshops on these topics, Feb. 9 in Wooster and Feb. 18 in Granville.
Presented by OARDC's Vegetable Production Systems Laboratory, the workshops will focus on measuring, interpreting and using Brix values, especially from the farmer’s perspective. However, others in the food industry are encouraged to participate as well.
The Feb. 9 workshop will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the South Exhibit Area of OARDC's Fisher Auditorium, located at 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster. To register, contact Danae Wolfe at wolfe.540@osu.edu or 330-202-3555, ext. 2687. There's no cost for attending this session.
Meanwhile, the Feb. 18 workshop, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., will be presented as part of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association's annual conference, to be held at the Granville middle and high schools, 248 New Burg St., Granville. To register, go to http://www.oeffa.org/conf-register2012.php. Conference registration fees apply.
Presenters at both sessions include researchers Matt Kleinhenz and Joe Scheerens and graduate student Natalie Bumgarner, all with OARDC's Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
Reliable estimates of sugar concentrations, Brix measurements have been used throughout the food, beverage and condiment industries for many years. They are occasionally used to set vegetable and fruit harvest dates, too.
Brix can be measured quickly, easily and inexpensively on the farm, in the kitchen and elsewhere. A few tools and following the correct procedure are required. All of this information will be covered in the workshops.
Presented by OARDC's Vegetable Production Systems Laboratory, the workshops will focus on measuring, interpreting and using Brix values, especially from the farmer’s perspective. However, others in the food industry are encouraged to participate as well.
The Feb. 9 workshop will be held from 1-3 p.m. at the South Exhibit Area of OARDC's Fisher Auditorium, located at 1680 Madison Ave., Wooster. To register, contact Danae Wolfe at wolfe.540@osu.edu or 330-202-3555, ext. 2687. There's no cost for attending this session.
Meanwhile, the Feb. 18 workshop, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., will be presented as part of the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association's annual conference, to be held at the Granville middle and high schools, 248 New Burg St., Granville. To register, go to http://www.oeffa.org/conf-register2012.php. Conference registration fees apply.
Presenters at both sessions include researchers Matt Kleinhenz and Joe Scheerens and graduate student Natalie Bumgarner, all with OARDC's Department of Horticulture and Crop Science.
Reliable estimates of sugar concentrations, Brix measurements have been used throughout the food, beverage and condiment industries for many years. They are occasionally used to set vegetable and fruit harvest dates, too.
Brix can be measured quickly, easily and inexpensively on the farm, in the kitchen and elsewhere. A few tools and following the correct procedure are required. All of this information will be covered in the workshops.
For more information about Brix, including videos, go to http://go.osu.edu/VPSLab.
OARDC is the research arm of Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
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