Cloves are new healthy super-food, scientists discover

Cloves are the new healthy super spice because of the high levels of natural antioxidants, scientists have found.

Telegraph.co.uk, by Andrew Hough, 7:30AM GMT 18 Mar 2010

Cloves would be able to replace synthetic antioxidants which are currently used to make food last longer. Photo: ALAMY

Spanish researchers discovered the spice was the best antioxidant because of the high levels of phenolic compounds it contained.

Antioxidants are crucial in keeping food fresh and the findings could have wide-ranging implications for the food industry.

They are also believed to have health benefits.

The study has been hailed as a win for the push towards more natural foods as cloves would be able to replace synthetic antioxidants which are currently used by manufacturers to make food last longer.

Professor Juana Fernández-López, from Spain's Miguel Hernández University, said cloves were a versatile spice.

"Out of the five antioxidant properties tested, cloves had the highest capacity to give off hydrogen, reduced lipid peroxidation well, and was the best iron reducer", she said.

The research study, published in the latest issue of the Flavour and Fragrance Journal, ranked the spice as the best natural antioxidant.

Prof Fernandez-Lopez said: "The results show that use of the natural oxidants occurring in spices used in the Mediterranean diet, or their extracts, is a viable option for the food industry, as long as the characteristics of the food product are not affected.

"These substances exhibit high antioxidant capacity, and could have beneficial effects for health."

The researchers also evaluated the antioxidant effect of the essential oils from other spices used in the Mediterranean diet oregano, thyme, rosemary, and sage.

They were trying to find out if these spices could be used into food products, especially meat, as natural antioxidants.

Prof Fernandez-Lopez said antioxidants kept food fresh because it delayed lipid oxidation.

"Lipid oxidation is one of the main reasons for foods deteriorating, and causes a significant reduction in their nutritional value, as well as loss of taste", she said.

"These alterations lead to a reduction in the useful lifespan of the food product. To avoid such deterioration, the food industry uses synthetic antioxidants in its products.

"However, as these are chemical compounds, questions have been raised about their potential toxicity and side-effects."

Prof Fernandez-Lopez said there was a growing interest in using plant-based products with potential antioxidant activity, in order to replace the synthetic antioxidants with "natural" substances.

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China, Japan eager to develop Indonesia`s bioenergy

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - China and Japan have expressed interest in developing Indonesia`s biofuel and renewable energy, an official said.

"Japan and China are eager to develop bioenergy in Indonesia. As a matter of fact, China has many times sent its delegation to Indonesia for that purpose," Chairman of the Indonesian Cooperatives Council (Dekopin) Adi Sasono said on Thursday.

Indeed many developed countries regard Indonesia as a potential producer of biofuel and renewable energy, not to mention its spices, he said.

"We have the potentials to invite foreign investors, the more so because they regard Indonesia as the main source of green energy," he said.

The Dekopin chief said Chinese and Japanese delegations will soon visit Indonesia to explore possibilities of investment in the sector.

The two countries are determined to reduce their dependence on fossil-based energy and to meet 10 percent of their energy needs from renewable sources, he said.

"We are rich in sources of green energy particularly from sugar cane, cassava and jatropha curcas," he said.

Indonesia now has an estimated 20 million hectares of idle land suitable for the cultivation of such plants, he said.

The latest conservation campaign: Mall rats

Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

What can you do to help conserve the environment?

If making your way of life a bit greener is too much to ask, then maybe buying cute merchandise could be a more viable way to do your bit for the planet.

After a Thursday lunch, female executive Dania Wardhani walked out of a makeshift booth situated on the ground floor of Plaza Senayan, Central Jakarta, carrying four brown paper bags.

But unlike most shoppers, Dania's bags did not contain top designer shoes or the latest summer collection from one of the fancy boutiques.

Instead, Dania's shopping theme for the day was saving endangered species.

"This merchandise is cute. And buying it means I'm supporting conservation," the 26-year old said as she walked away from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) booth.

There was the Panda T-shirt, the blank cards bearing pictures of Sumatran tigers and elephants beside the slogan "save our precious butts," a pencil case and several colorful pins.

Office worker Sari Hutapea also had her attention caught by the cute merchandise.

"I have no knowledge about the environment. I'm just drawn in by this stuff," she said.

Sari ended up buying nothing, but still left with flyers about endangered species.

"People might start out being interested in our merchandise. But, as they stop by, we also hand out flyers containing information on endangered species or other green messages," WWF campaigner Maria Magdalena Lakaseru explained.

From that starting point, it then depended on each individual how far they wanted to be engaged in protecting the environment, added Dede, a fellow campaigner.

As green becomes the new black, and environmental groups start to reach out to the public by new means, it is no longer unusual to see a stuffed Orangutan toy sitting in the front of any posh boutique.

From June 11 to June 24, the Orangutan is paying a visit to Plaza Senayan, to spread a message of awareness about the endangered species.

In just three days, more than 300 people visited the WWF booth, campaigners said. Some left with merchandise, some did not. But all were at the very least reminded that some species were on the brink of extinction, in turn threatening the ecological balance.

"We do this kind of public outreach once a month and the message is usually customized. Here, we chose endangered species because it can be made to go in line with the Kid's Fair going on here," Maria said, pointing to the central atrium of the mall.

And even if environmental issues are fairly hip these days, campaigners like Maria still have to answer basic questions like "what are endangered species."

Questions like this are an entry point for further environmental knowledge for less informed visitors like Sari.

"An office worker like me knows nothing about this stuff. My nephew was the one who used to share this kind of information because the group (WWF) probably went to his school," Sari said.

It is true that Jakarta's busy bees feel far from issues such as endangered species. But this is exactly why environmental groups such as WWF are reaching out to places like shopping malls.

Outside the mall, two Greenpeace campaigners were also busy persuading passers by to stop for five minutes to listen to information about deforestation.

The five minute talks are hoped to raise environmental awareness and people's willingness to support green efforts.

Those who were interested in getting more involved were given the option of becoming active members or just passive donors to the organizations.

Even a panda pin or an Orangutan T-shirt was enough to go some way to help conserve the environment.

Preserving the forest, West Lampung regency style

Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung

Amid environmental activists' concerns about the threat of global warming, there is a glimmer of hope -- a community-based forest conservation program currently being carried out in Lampung.

The Community Forest Program (HKM), which bears the motto "people prosper with preserved forests", began in 2000 and has since involved more than 6,500 rural families living near preserved and commercial forests in West Lampung regency.

The residents are committed to the conservation and revival of the forests, which are in a critical condition due to illegal logging.

In barren areas they have planted fast-yielding shrubs that produce cooking spices, medium-yielding crops like cacao and coffee, and long-yielding plants like palm and durian.

A 12,000-hectare preserved area in Tangkit Tebak, which was previously barren, has been transformed into a green space and now provides a source of income for the farmers.

Under the program, the community organized a forest conservation group, which has been entrusted to manage the preservation of the forests for five years.

A team consisting of village heads, natural resource operators, environmentalists, forest authorities and farming groups will supervise and evaluate the group's performance annually.

"Members of the group are permitted to operate farms in and around the forest, but they are not allowed to build homes. The group is somewhat relieved as West Lampung Regent Erwin Nizar has issued lease-rights licenses, which are valid for 25 years," said executive director of the Watala environmental group, Rama Zakaria.

The farmers must pass four stages to obtain the licenses -- form a group; establish a work area; issue regulations and work-group plans; and complete a license application. Each group consists of about 50 farmers and works a different plot of land.

The groups have the right to manage the land, but not to sell it. Licenses are revoked if a group fails an annual monitoring and evaluation, does not uphold conservation efforts or violates the regulations.

Rama said community-based forest management was the best solution to prevent further destruction to forests.

"The residents have been living there for many years and have witnessed illegal logging activities, but could not do anything about them. Now, with the HKM program, they are directly involved in protecting the forest and do not hesitate in reporting offenders," he said.

According to Rama, West Lampung was chosen for the HKM pilot project and the local administration is the first to issue forest management licenses valid for 25 years.

Erfan, a HKM group member, said the program has helped improve farmers' welfare, as well as preserve the forests.

"We now have legal permission to manage the forests, the products from which we can benefit from... unlike land-clearers who are often chased by the authorities. We till the land peacefully and benefit from the harvests monthly," said Erfan, adding that farmers can harvest fast-yielding crops like ginger, turmeric and galangale once a month.

Rama said Lampung is the first province in Indonesia to trial the HKM program, which was initiated by the Forestry Ministry.

Despite showing positive results from evaluations, Rama said there were still problems associated with restoring damaged forest areas, especially in national parks and community forests.

In the Way Kambas National Park in East Lampung, 125,000 hectares or 60 percent of the area is in a critical state. An area of 365,000 hectares or 40 percent of the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park is also severely damaged, while 22,000 hectares or 40 percent of Wan Abdur Rahman People's Park in Bandarlampung is in a critical condition.

Almost 33 percent -- or 1.4 million hectares -- of Lampung province's total area of 3.3 million hectares consists of forested areas. Currently, more than 65 percent of this area is in a critical condition.

Rama says it was not easy to convince the government the residents were capable of managing the forest.

"Initially, the provincial administration was doubtful the people could effectively manage the forest. However, it was proven wrong."

USAID to help agribusiness to tune of $13.75m

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide aid worth US$13.75 million over three years in the form of equipment and technical assistance to help the government develop the agribusiness sector, it was announced Thursday.

The scheme, called the Agribusiness Market and Support Activities (AMARTA) program, will be implemented through USAID's main office in Jakarta, as well as its regional offices in Medan, Makassar and Denpasar, in partnership with the U.S.-based development consulting firm, Development Alternatives Inc.

"USAID has awarded a contract to Development Alternatives Inc., of the state of Maryland, to implement the AMARTA project. So, these funds will be disbursed via Development Alternatives Inc," David J. Anderson, chief of party of AMARTA, said Thursday during the launch of the program in Jakarta.

Each office will forge cooperation with the private sector, industry associations, the government, NGOs, chambers of commerce and industry and other stakeholders for the purpose of jointly developing the agribusiness sector in Indonesia, said David.

Under the program, eight sectors would be prioritized: cocoa, coffee, high-value horticultural products (fruit and vegetables), fishing, spices, biofuels and livestock.

"The ultimate goal is to improve productivity and the quality of products so as to ensure better market access," said William M. Frej, USAID's mission director.

Qualitywise, Indonesia's cocoa, for instance, is between 60 and 70 percent below international market standards.

"One of the aims of this project is to improve the quality of the cocoa exported to the U.S. so that we can secure incentive bonuses, rather than a 10 percent reduction from the normal price," said Syukur Iwantoro, head of the Agricultural Quarantine Unit at the Agriculture Ministry.

"After finishing our assessments, we will have identified the primary interventions for the program in collaboration with the stakeholders by the end of 2007," said Anderson.

In general, the AMARTA program will provide assistance such as training, capacity-building, consultation, promotion and facilitation in the agribusiness sector.