Low-Income Women Have Low Folate Levels
According to a report published in the UC California Agriculture journal, almost 60 percent of all low-income women of childbearing age in the state are not attaining recommended levels of folate, which helps prevent birth defects.
Folate, a form of vitamin B, is found in common foods like lentils and orange juice. Additionally, a deficiency in folate is linked to certain cancers, anemia and cardiovascular conditions. Birth defects associated with low folate levels include spina bifida and anencephaly.
While the United States has required folate fortification of breads and cereals since 1998, researchers from UC Davis’ department of nutrition found that 59 percent of 195 low-income study participants were not meeting the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation of 400 micrograms per day.
UC Awarded High Environmental Honors
The University of California was recognized for its outstanding work in environmental sustainability by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency when it was presented with an Environmental Achievement Award on April 16.
The EPA region nine, covering California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, Pacific Islands and tribal lands, annually recognizes exceptional commitment to environmental protection. Along with 37 other groups and individuals, the university was selected from more than 160 nominees by businesses, local and government officials, environmental organizations and the media.
Healthy Lunchyard Eats Win Cal Competition
At the eighth annual Global Social Venture Competition held at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, Emeryville-based Revolution Foods took first place for serving healthy home-style school lunches in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Founded in August 2006 by Berkeley MBA graduates Kristin Richmond-Groos and Kirsten Tobey, Revolution Foods aims to replace processed mystery meats with health-conscious foods, like brown rice and fresh fruits, at nine charter schools.
Since August, the venture’s deliveries have doubled to 1,500 meals a day, and are expected to double by the end of the year. In addition to meals, the company also provides nutrition education to the charter schools.
Other winning teams included Stanford University’s d.light, which replaces fuel-based lighting with LED lighting, and Babson University’s Feed Resource Recovery, which produces renewable energy and organic fertilizer from supermarket and restaurant food waste.
With 157 teams from 80 universities in 20 countries competing, the contest had the greatest turnout ever.
