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Custom phytochemical, pungency analysis available for fruit, vegetables
College Station, Texas
May 10, 2004

Texas A&M University's Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center offers custom analysis services for pungency and phytochemicals, according to Dr. Leonard Pike, director.

"As this era of ‘foods for health' expands," Pike said, "researchers are making available new information related to flavor, nutrition and naturally occurring compounds that prevent disease." The tests are offered to center members and other companies ranging from seed companies to grocery stores to individual growers, he noted.
The center has state-of-the-art analysis laboratories equipped to test for pyruvic acid, soluble solids, carotenes, flavonoids, capsaicin and vitamin C. Some test results can be available within 48 to 72 hours.

Companies may request custom analysis of their products, Pike noted.

Dr. Kil Sun Yoo, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station research scientist and lab supervisor, has developed an automated system for accurate and fast analysis of a large number samples. For example, the center screened more than 10,000 onion bulbs last year to help develop new milder onion varieties.

"We believe that our pyruvic acid testing system is the most accurate and reliable method among those currently available," Yoo said.

The Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center is at http://vic.tamu.edu

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