Feijoa News

This is the page where we will be posting news that is of interest to the NZ feijoa industry.

For more information contact us at feijoa@itm.org.nz

ITEMS

Feijoa Product Database
Feijoa Association Press Releases 2011
Feijoa Association Radio Advertising
ACC levy rates
Food Bill Submission
Feijoas - great for your health
Feijoa may be superfruit say scientists
HortNZ Newsletters
Organic Growers Group
Links to Feijoa Items on the web
Media Release Recipes
Feijoa Season

Feijoa Association Database

We are getting together a database of products which contain feijoa. This database will grow as we continue to find new products, and we welcome any new additions that are not yet included

To browse through the products, click on this link, and use the search options to filter your search.

Please note, that because a product is listed, does not mean it has any endorsement from the Association. We will list all products that we are aware of, to show where this fantastic taste is available, and what options are available."

Annual General Meeting 2011

The NZ Feijoa Growers Association’s 2011 AGM & Field Day will be held on 4 and 5 November 2011, at the Kerikeri RSA Club, and all members and commodity levy payers are welcome to attend

The programme for the two days is as follows

FRIDAY 4 NOVEMBER - ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

6.00pm Registration and Cocktail Hour bar at own cost)
7.00pm AGM commences, agenda includes:

Welcome & Introduction
Apologies
Previous Minutes - November 2010
Financial Report for NZ Feijoa Growers Association
Report from President - Tim Harper
2012 Budget incl Commodity Levy Rate and Subscriptions
Strategic Planning Report
Appointment of Executive
General Business
2011 Season Round Up Discussion

SATURDAY 4 NOVEMBER - FIELD TRIP & MARKETING SEMINAR

7.30am Assemble at RSA Clubrooms
8.00am Buses will depart for Visits to orchards and points of local interest
4.00pm Return to Kerikeri RSA for a Marketing Seminar
8.00pm Dinner at the RSA Kerikeri with Guest Speaker - Alan Kerr, Sunfirst

Feijoa Association Press Releases

To raise our profile in the media, the NZ Feijoa Growers Association has written press releases during the season and circulted these to media in New Zealand and Australia.

These press releases are now available from the Promotions page, you can go straight there using this link.

Feijoa Association Radio Advertising

The association has some radio adverts which will be running over the weekends of 1 April, 15 April and 29 April, in conjunction with a competition on Classic Hits.

The intent of these adverts is to lift the profile of Feijoas in New Zealand, and to create demand when the flush comes on. To listen to these promotion, please click on this link, to hear the advert, and also click on this link for the announcement to ring in for the comptition.

ACC Levy Rate

There is a proposed review of ACC levy rates, which will see an increase in the rates paid by the horticulture sector.

Horticulture NZ has made a submission on behalf of all affiliated industries, and you can read their submission (pdf file) from this link .

Food Bill Submission

NZFGA has made a written submission on the Food Bill which is currently before Parliament, because we are very concerned that the failure to recognise NZGAP (or GlobalGap), which will result in significant and unnecesary duplication o compliance cost. This was despite assurances received from the Minister of Food Safety, other Ministers and NZ Food Safety Authority officials that NZGAP would be recognised as a National Programme. The submission draws heavily on that written by Horticulture NZ.

The full submission is available from this link.

Feijoas are back – and they’re great for your health.

This is the second press release from the NZ Feijoa Growers Association for 2010

Feijoas are back – and they’re great for your health. These little green fruit have scored so highly in trials for health benefits there’s talk of them joining the elite ranks of ‘superfruit.’ And as we enjoy this year’s harvest, there’s growing interest in the research community to explore the health benefits of feijoa further, says the president of the New Zealand Feijoas Growers Association, Tim Harper.

Feijoas are very versatile and available from now until early winter. There are lots of ways to enjoy them in the last of summer days and in early autumn. A tangy feijoa salsa adds a really fresh zing to meat or fish dishes; our feijoa and date cake is easy and delicious; the feijoa mousse has a delicate pale pink texture for a sophisticated dessert in stylish glasses; fish with a sweet and sour feijoa sauce is perfect for a unique kiwi dinner.

Sweet and Sour Fish
500g skinned and boned firm fish fillets	oil for frying
2Tsp dry sherry	½ cup cornflour
1tsp salt
Sauce
1 tb grated root ginger
2 spring onions,cliced
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 Tb each white vinegar,tomato sauce, orange juice, sugasr, 1 tb dry sherry
1 cup peeled and diced feijoas
1 tsp cornflour

Cut the fish into four cm chunks. Season with salt and sherry then toss in cornflour.

Heat oil for deep frying then fry fish in batches until golden. Drain on absorbent paper and keep warm. In a clean pan, heat 2 – 3 tbs of frying oil and stir fy the ginger , onions, garlic for about 30 secs. Add all the sauce ingredients except the cornflour.

Mix the cornflour into a paste with a little water then stir into the sauce, cooking until thickened. Serve over the fish.

Feijoa Salsa
3 feijoas	1 tbs brown sugar
1 onion	freshly ground black pepper

Chop into small pieces and mix together or puree. Serve with steak, chicken or fish or use as a dip.

*Add 1 tbs of chopped fresh coriander for a different twist on this salsa.

Feijoa date cake
100g of butter, softened	1 cup chopped dates
¾ cup sugar	¾ cup mashed feijoas
1 egg	2 tbs milk
1 ½ cups flour	1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
lemon icing to ice	lemon zest to garnish

Pre-heat over to 180 deg C. Grease an 18cm square tin. Line the base with baking paper.

Beat together butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in egg. Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. Fold into creamed mixture.

Stir in dates, feijoas and milk. Spoon mixture into prepared tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer insterted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave cake in tin for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool. When cool ice with lemon icing and garnish with lemon zest.

Feijoa Mousse with Nougat
1/3 cup sugar	¼ cup water
2 tsp gelatin	600g feijoas
360g ricotta	180g nougat

In a small pot combine the sugar and water and place over low heat stirring until dissolved. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Set aside to cool.

In a food processor puree the feijoas, add the gelatin mixture and the ricotta and process briefly or stir to blend. Pour the mixture into individual glasses and refrigerate for at least six hours. Crumble the nougat in a food processor (or chop by hand into small pieces) and sprinkle over the mousse and serve.

Feijoa Facts:

Feijoas are good for you! They are high in anti-oxidants, high in minerals and fibre, a great source of vitamin C and they are low in calories.

Feijoas are ripe when slightly soft and when the jellied sections of a freshly cut fruit are clear. If the jellied sections are white the fruit is not ripe to eat; if its greyish or brown, the feijoa is past its best.

Ripe feijoas, unless refrigerated, only retain a good flavour for two or three days. Brown blotches or yellowing skin are a sign the feijoas are well past their best.

When buying feijoas put them in the fridge or eat them as soon as possible. Very firm fruit may need two or three days in the fruit bowl to fully ripen. Hard fruit will probably never ripen.

Fruit touch-picked from the tree have better keeping and eating qualities than fruit gathered from the ground.

Feijoa may be ‘superfruit’ say scientists.

This is the first press release from the NZ Feijoa Growers Association for 2010

Feijoa could be promoted to the elite ranks of ‘superfruit’ if proposed scientific trials prove the fruit to have exceptional health promoting qualities. A high score on health benefits has attracted international interest in the properties of the fruit.

Although a recent application to government for research funding has been turned down, there is strong interest among the research fraternity to explore prospects for further trialing, says the preisdent of the New Zealand Feijoas Growers Association, Tim Harper.

The research for which government funding was sought, proposed human clinical trials at a university in California of compounds extracted from Feijoas. The proposed trials would target potential benefits for high blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels – health conditions that are prevalent world wide.

“The feijoa industry is too small to fund research on this scale but nevertheless there are exciting possibilities and there is significant interest in exploring what could be an outstanding opportunity for this fruit,” says Mr Harper.

The feijoa has already been scoring very well in the growing trend for scientific research to show that eating certain fruits can benefit health. In recent research, extracts from feijoas have been found to contain comparatively high levels of the compounds that enhance anti-inflamatory and anti-oxidant activity. They also have high levels of Vitamin C, minerals and fibre.

In one measure of anti-oxidant activity, Plant & Food Research ranked feijoas just over mid-way in comparison with other popular fruit, confirming the potential for the fruit as a functional food ingredient.

The first fruit of the season is expected to be ready by mid March although the drought conditions in Northland could result in a lack of the early, large fruit consumers enjoyed last season, says Mr Harper. The southern crop could be later due to the bitterly cold winter but he says the industry is hoping these factors won’t lead to a shortage of fruit this season.

Organic Feijoas

The NZ Feijoa Growers Association now has an organics group, to further the interests of members who grow organic feijoas. To learn more about this group, please click here.

Feijoa News on the web

The links here will take you to stories that we have fond on the web, to do with NZ feijoas. Know of some that we have missed? - please let us know at info@feijoa.org.nz

NZFGA Press Release: Feijoa Recipes

MEDIA RELEASE 25.3.09

Very versatile feijoas
Feijoa facts and recipes
Feijoas are good for you! They are high in anti-oxidants, high in minerals and fibre, a great source of vitamin C and they are low in calories. Feijoas are ripe when slightly soft and when the jellied sections of a freshly cut fruit are clear. If the jellied sections are white the fruit is not ripe to eat; if its greyish or brown, the feijoa is past its best. Ripe feijoas, unless refrigerated, only retain a good flavour for two or three days. Brown blotches or yellowing skin are a sign the feijoas are well past their best. When buying feijoas put them in the fridge or eat them as soon as possible. Very firm fruit may need two or three days in the fruit bowl to fully ripen. Hard fruit will probably never ripen. Fruit touch-picked from the tree have better keeping and eating qualities than fruit gathered from the ground.

Feijoa salad:
	Peel and slice feijoas into green salad to add zest and let the juices replace the need for a salad dressing. It's a touch exotic and very easy and delicious with meats and fish.
Feijoa Salsa
3 feijoas	1tbs brown sugar
1 onion	freshly ground black pepper
	Chop into small pieces and mix together or puree. Serve with steak, chicken or fish or use as a dip with corn chips.
Baked Feijoa Pudding
4-5 feijoas	1 lemon
sponge:
1 cup flour	1 egg
1tsp baking powder	3-4 tbsp milk
salt (pinch)
50 g butter	half cup sugar
Wash and peel feijoas. Cut into thick slices. Place on the base of a 3 and half cup ovenware dish. Grate the lemon rind and squeeze the juice from the lemon. Sprinkle these over the feijoas.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter and sugar until white and fluffy. Beat in the egg well, Carefully fold in the dry ingredients. Add a little milk to make a soft dropping consistency.
Spoon the mixture evenly over feijoas. Bake at 180 deg C for 45 mins or until the sponge is firm to the touch. Serve hot.
Serves 4
Feijoa Upside Down Pudding
Topping:
25 g butter
half cup brown sugar
3-4 feijoas
Cream butter and sugar. Spread evenly into a 20cm round cake tim. Peel and slice feijoas in half, lengthwise. Arrange on top of butter mixture with cut surface down.

Cake:
1 Tbs vinegar	50gms butter
half cup milk	half cup brown sugar
1 cup flour	qtr cup treacle
half tsp baking soda	1 egg
qtr tsp salt
2tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
qtr tsp grated nutmeg
pinch cloves

Mix vinegar and milk together. Allow to stand for 15 mins until milk sours.
Sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, grated nutmeg and cloves together. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add treacle and egg and beat well.
Fold in dry ingredients alternately with soured milk. Beat about 1 minute until smooth. Poor over the top of fruit.
Bake at 180 deg C for 50 - 60 mins, or until set to touch.Turn out onto serving dish and serve with cream.
Feijoa Cream
3-4 feijoas
225 g plain yoghurt
4tbs skim milk powder
1-2 Tb clear honey
chopped walnuts
Peel feijoas and press through sieve. Place all incredients except walnuts in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and chill until set. Serve with chopped walnuts sprinkled on top.
Iced Feijoa Mousse
4 egg yolks	qtr cup apple and orange juice
1 cup sugar	2 tbs orange juice
2 tbs water	1kg ripe feijoas
300 ml cream
Beat egg yolks with sugar and water and juice. Whisk constantly over gently simmering water until slightly thickened. Put bowl in cold water and continute whisking until cool.
Pulp raw peeled feijoas. Beat into egg yolk mixture. Whip cream and fold in. Pour into 2 litre container. Cover and freeze.
Serves 6 - 8
Feijoa Sorbet
1 and half cups water
half to qtr cup sugar
2 tbs lemon juice
three qtrs cup pulped feijoa
Boil the water and sugar together for 5 minutes. Cool. Add the lemon juice and pulped feijoas. Pour into a freezing tray. Freeze until firm. Turn into a chilled bowl. Beat with a rotary beater until light; work very quickly to avoid melting. Return to the freezing tray. Freeze without stirring, until very firm. Serve in chilled individual dishes.
Serves 4-6

Contact Helen Vause for further information or for photos 0210 698 703

NZFGA Press Release: Feijoa Season

MEDIA RELEASE 1.3.09

A bumper crop with high marks for health benefits

Feijoa growers are expecting a very high quality crop of fruit in near optimum condition as a result of the very warm summer. Feijoas are expected to be on sale by mid-March and available until early June this year.

Hot, dry weather is ideal for the production of a high quality crop and fruit quality for the season is looking very good, says the president of the New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association, Tim Harper. But it's the world leading growing systems used by professional growers that will have played a key role in ensuring large, good quality fruit, he says and New Zealanders can't necessarily expect to get comparable feijoas from the trees in their own back yards as a result of the warmer summer.

Not only is a good crop expected but the feijoa has been scoring very well in the analysis of its health benefits. In the growing trend for scientifc research to demonstrate that eating fruits can reduce the incidence of chronic diseases including cancers, heart disease and stroke - the feijoa has given promising results. In recent years research teams around the world have found extracts from the fruit to contain comparatively high levels of the compounds that enhance anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activity.

In one measure of antioxidant activity, the Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand (HortResearch) ranked feijoas just over mid-way in comparision with other popular fruit, confirming the potential for the fruit as a functional food ingredient.

The antioxidant actitity of the fruit is based on their relatively high content of compounds known as proanthocynanins - a class of polyphenolics that are widely promoted for their health enhancing properties. The proanthocyanins have also been reported to reduce inflammation.

Based on their trials to date, scientific researchers agree there is evidence to support the use of proanthocyanin-based foods and dietary supplements as effective antio-xidants. Although a high concentration of this compound usually makes for a bitter and astringent taste, it's fortunate that they don't impact on the flavour of feijoas.

Feijoas also have high levels of Vitamin C, and are high in minerals and fibre. Since an average feijoa contains around 9mg of vitamin C, just three a day will provide over half the recommended daily intake of vitamin C.

Although intensive research into this fruit is relatively recent says, Tim Harper from the growers association, the feijoa can justify its position as one of the healthiest fruits readily available to all New Zealanders. He says confirmation of more good news on the benefits of the fruit and its extracts is expected to emerge soon from ongoing research.

For more information contact
Helen Vause, communications consultant: 0210 698 703
Tim Harper, President New Zealand Feijoa Growers Association 021 899 666
Photographs available on request.