Tag: produce

Colorful vegetables including leafy greens, eggplants, zucchinis, and bell peppers on market shelves.

UF scientists start to discover how to keep fruits and vegetables fresher before they arrive at the grocery store

by Brad Buck
May 11, 2026

When you’re perusing the produce section, you’re looking for fresh fruits and vegetables. If not eaten within a few days after harvest, many age quickly and get thrown out, leading to food waste, say University of Florida experts. Fruits ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Aging, Broccoli, Fresh, Grocery Store, Horticultural Sciences, Jeff Brecht, Postharvest, Produce, RNA Sequencing, Tie Liu, Vegetables
Cucumbers

UF/IFAS food safety expert encourages caution but calm in wake of cucumber salmonella outbreak

by Megan Winslow
May 11, 2026

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced an investigation this week of a salmonella outbreak linked to a South Florida cucumber grower. As of Wednesday, when the latest FDA update was issued, the investigation included 26 illnesses in ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Food Safety, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS
Tags: Bedner Growers, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Cucumber, FDA, Food Safety, Food Science And Human Nutrition Department, Foodborne Illness, FSHN, Hospitalization, IFAS, Illness, Infected, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Keith Schneider, Megan Winslow, Outbreak, Pathogen, Produce, Salmonella, Thomas Produce Company, U.S. Food And Drug Administration, UF, UF-IFAS, University Of Florida

AI-enhanced system detects bruised strawberries before they get to the grocery store

by Brad Buck
May 11, 2026

If you’re perusing the produce section, you generally seek fresh, pleasant-looking fruit – the kind most consumers want to buy. Usually, that means you see few, if any, blemishes. Fruit bruising has many causes: compression, impact or ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness
Tags: #aiatuf, Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Bruises, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, Daniel Lee, Detection, Fresh, Grocery Store, Harvesting, Maturity, Plant Science Research And Education Unit, Produce, Southwest Florida Research And Education Center, Strawberries, Xue Zhou, Yiannis Ampatzidis

Find Your Frugal: Six tips to save money at the farmers market

by Lourdes Mederos
May 11, 2026

About this series Rising costs have brought on rising concerns. The ripple effects of the yearslong COVID pandemic continue to surface in economies worldwide. In an ongoing effort to help people – from producers to consumers – weather ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS
Tags: Brenda Marty-Jimenez, COVID, EBT, Farmer's Market, Find Your Frugal, Inflation, Produce, SNAP, UF IFAS Family And Consumer Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, Vendors
Close-up of a broccoli head with leaves, covered in water droplets.

UF scientists finding new way to keep broccoli – and perhaps other vegetables — fresher, longer

by Brad Buck
May 11, 2026

When consumers go to the grocery store, they want their produce, including broccoli, to look, feel and taste fresh. This desire compels University of Florida scientist Tie Liu to study ways to keep vegetables fresh. In newly published research, ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Aging Process, Broccoli, Cold Chain, Controlled Atmosphere, Crops, Fresh, Horticultural Sciences, Jeff Brecht, Molecular Mechanisms, Plant Breeding, Postharvest, Produce, Tie Liu

Exploring Florida’s Natives: Chickasaw Plum

by Julia Sirchia
March 13, 2026

The Chickasaw Plum is another Florida native that will catch your eye. This small, deciduous, multi-branched tree has delicate white blossoms and small, flavorful plums. Let's talk about the origins, growing conditions, and ecological significance ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, #SaveWaterFL, Central Florida, Community Garden, Community Gardens, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardens, Goals, Horticulture, Irrigation, Landscape, Landscaping, Nutrition, Produce, Resilient Landscaping, Right Place, Right Plant, Smart Irrigation, Soil, UF/IFAS Pasco Extension Office, Water Conservation, Water Wise

Growing Wellness: How Community Gardens Are Transforming Lives in Pasco County

by Julia Sirchia
March 4, 2026

In today’s world, productivity often overshadows health and well-being. Between work, family obligations, and the pace of modern life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves. Finding balance is essential. One unexpected ... READ MORE

Category: Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture
Tags: Community, Community Garden, Community Gardens, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Low-income Communities, One Stop Shop, Produce, Raised Beds, The Farmden Project, UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County’s Community Gardens Program

The Value of Community Gardens: Social Impact

by Julia Sirchia
February 20, 2026

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about community gardening? You may be picturing a patch of land dedicated to growing fruits and veggies collaboratively, or a collection of individual plots. And you would be correct. ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Central Florida, Community, Community Garden, Community Gardens, Fresh Fruit And Vegetables, Fruit, Garden, Gardens, Horticulture, Landscape, Produce, Soil, The Value Of Community Gardens, UF/IFAS Pasco Extension Office, Vegetables

The Value of Community Gardens: Social Impact

by Julia Sirchia
February 20, 2026

Community Gardens and Urban Areas These days, and especially with the influx of people coming to Florida, intentional green spaces are growing scarcer. Community gardens play a vital role in revitalizing neglected areas and providing green ... READ MORE

Category: Horticulture
Tags: #RightPlantRightPlace, Central Florida, Community, Community Garden, Community Gardens, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food, Fresh Fruit And Vegetables, Fruit, Garden, Gardening, Gardens, Horticulture, Nutrition, Produce, Social, The Value Of Community Gardens, UF/IFAS Pasco Extension Office, Vegetables

Subscribe For More Great Content

IFAS Blogs Categories