Cornell University’s Thomas Bjorkman is breeding a healthier, more versatile broccoli plant.
Broccoli’s been around since Ancient Rome, but suddenly a whole bunch of people are interested in making it better.
Hard to imagine, since nutritionists go on an on about its wealth of vitamins, cholesterol-lowering abilities, and detoxifying powers.
What’s so bad about it? According to Cornell University’s Thomas Bjorkman it’s just too sensitive. This aspect of it leads to growing and transit limitations and subpar product throughout most of the country.
For it to really sing, it needs optimal growing conditions and immediate consumption.
At present, 90 percent of the country’s supply comes from California, a place many days away via truck transit to most US grocers.
Bjorkman is breeding a broccoli plant that can grow perfectly just about anywhere.
While he and his team are at it they’re also going to up the quantity of the veggie’s cancer preventing compound.
He’s gotten farmers, government agencies, and grocers on board with his plan, and all are working together to get the country better broccoli in a few years’ time.
The people, he’s unsure he’ll convince are the foodies. His collaboration with Monsanto has him and his team anticipating a challenge in merging the worlds of “Big Food and Simple Eating”.
