Cranberries are all the rave these days, it seems. Consumer demand for cranberries has never been as high as it is today, and the main reason for this demand stems (this is bad plant humor) from the fact that cranberries are incredibly beneficial to the human body. What exactly do cranberries do for you that make the demand for them so high? The tiny berries are crammed (a cramberry, perhaps?) with antioxidants that can help prevent a urinary tract infection and gum disease, not to mention it might help protect against cancer, heart disease, and numerous other diseases.

Though I am not an economics major, I believe that a high demand correlates with a low supply. Fruits are perishable, and can hence further lower that supply if they perish while on the shelves of our local grocery stores. We obviously don’t want rotten fruit; we just want our wholesome cranberries. Scientists heard our pained cries and responded with an experiment three cranberry seasons in the making. They discovered that the humidity and temperature at which cranberries are stored help influence how long a cranberry can last on the shelves of our stores. At 0 to 7 °C and 75% to 82% RH, cranberries will stay marketable for longer.

The implications of such a find? Well, if they last longer, we get our not-rotten cranberries and health benefits, grocery stores get their money, and farmers don’t have to produce far more cranberries than they would if they continued to perish on shelves by staying at a not-so-favorable temperature and relative humidity. Looks like a good situation for all of us, doesn’t it?

Question for Comment: Although this information could benefit everyone greatly, do you think grocery store managers will take extra care to store the cranberries in this fashion if they didn’t already do so?

Link to article: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929104609.htm