Copenhagen, Denmark
September 8, 2009

Old plant types can contribute forgotten tastes and properties to today’s gastronomy. A number of new projects aim at preserving and promoting the use of old types of grain, root vegetables, cabbages, fruit and berries. In addition, the projects will try to identify old plant types that are especially suitable for organic or environmentally friendly cultivation.

The Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries has given the projects DKr 4 million in support and Food Minister Eva Kjer Hansen believes there are wide-ranging perspectives in the projects.

“Helping farmers rediscover and develop old plant types is very exciting and full of perspective,” says the food minister. “It means that we as consumers will have greater choice and can look forward to new tastes in Nordic Diet in the future. At the same time we will be promoting plant types that are suitable for environmentally friendly agriculture, such as organic farming.”

One of the projects has been started in northern Zealand by a farmer who cultivates old types of grain and investigates how they can contribute to the movement towards the revival of nordic gastronomy. Other project funding means a farmer in Viborg can harvest quinces, mulberries and other rare berries in private gardens and start processing them at his farm. In a third project, the University of Copenhagen’s Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) will study whether old types of plums and sour cherries can be used in the production of organic fruit wines, thus bringing new taste experiences to Danish consumers.

The seven projects are receiving almost DKr 4 million in funding from the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries.
 

Website: http://www.fvm.dk

Published: September 8, 2009