AURI NEWS BRIEFS

The power of red tortillas

Minneapolis, Minn. – Already known for bread-making innovations, French Meadow Bakery of Minneapolis is putting a new tortilla on the market, formulated for men’s health.

Men’s Tortillas are likely to stand out on grocery shelves not just for their mix of natural ingredients, but their color. “They’re red,” says AURI scientist Charan Wadhawan, who helped formulate the tortilla recipe. “They contain lycopene, which has been shown to help prevent prostate cancer.” 

Lycopene, a nutraceutical, gives red color to foods like tomatoes, guava, watermelon and pink grapefruit.  Men’s Tortillas also contain whole grains, flax, sunflower, pumpkin seeds, soy isoflavones and are high in protein and fiber. They should be on store shelves this October. 

“There is growing consumer interest in tortillas because they add variety to a healthy lifestyle,” says French Meadow Bakery President Lynn Gordon. “Tortillas are an easy way to prepare and make meals.”
 

The Men’s Tortillas contain 9 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber and yield the same nutrients as two tomatoes.  French Meadow Bakery has several other tortillas on the market and a line of healthful breads.
 

“These tortillas are a real powerhouse of nutrition,” Gordon adds. “We think they’ll be good sellers.”
 

Biofuel bonanza

Redwood Falls, Minn. – Five Minnesota farmers came to Farmfest as visitors and walked away winners. They will be filling up their tanks with farmer-made fuel.

AURI, the Minnesota Corn Growers and Minnesota Soybean Growers sponsored a biofuel giveaway at Farmfest 2006, held near Redwood Falls. Five names were pulled from thousands of drawing entrants; the winners were offered $500 worth of biodiesel or E-85, the 85-percent ethanol fuel. 

Farmers Lance Oye of Pipestone, Ed Peter of Heron Lake and Bonnie Bleck of Fairfax chose biodiesel. Kerry Mathews of Glencoe and Brian Erickson of Montevideo selected E-85.

“This was an excellent promotion … certainly timely,” says Dan Lemke, AURI communications director. “It was a great way to promote biofuels, raise awareness of what biodiesel and E-85 have to offer, plus it got the fuels into the hands of people who want to use them.