UA & UWA begin study on microgreens with USDA grant

TUSCALOOSA, AL (WBRC) - If you haven’t heard of them yet, micro-veggies are all the rage. Now, the University of Alabama and the University of West Alabama are teaming up to study how to these tiny greens last longer on the shelf.

Microgreens are touted to provide up to 40 times more nutrition than their larger, mature plant counterparts.

While it’s exciting for nutritionists and farmers alike, they would like to ensure these veggies last longer so consumers will continue to buy them without wasting this good nutrition.

Enter UA and UWA, who with the help of a $20,000 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture and Alabama Department of Agriculture will study boxing techniques and other methods to keep the nutritional powerhouses longer and help farmers statewide and around the nation.

“To extend the shelf life of microgreens, it really benefits local farmers to grow and deliver their microgreens to a longer distance,” said UA Nutrition Professor, Dr. Lingyan Kong.

“The University is going to help us to get more studies out on different kinds of things like amaranth, radishes, those kinds of things. But there’s not enough information out there. So this is going to help us,” said Nani Koromate, the owner of Alabama Microgreens.

The half-year study will be conducted by undergraduate and graduate students at UA and UWA.