A decade of research from institutions in New Zealand and Australia has resulted in targeted salad packs that highlight the distinct nutritional benefits of the vegetables they contain.

The collaboration between Plant & Food Research and the Department of Primary Industries Victoria has led to the vitalvegetables range, to be sold be New Zealand Vital Vegetables Marketing Partners.

The products include the vitalheart, vitalsight and vitalbones salad mixes, vitalimmunity slaw, and a vitalimmunity medley.

Plant & Food Research researcher Dr Jocelyn Eason says the program was a response to consumer demand for more information about the vegetables they consume.

"Our research has investigated which nutrients offer specific benefits to health and then identified the seeds that have high levels of these nutrients.

"We’ve then worked with growers to determine the best way to grow and harvest them to optimise these levels, and with vegetable marketers to ensure the levels are maintained from the field to the consumer.

"This means that consumers can eat a vitalvegetables® product and know exactly what nutrients they’re getting."

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