As U.S. asparagus consumption rises, producers are looking for ways to take the mystery out of cooking the vegetable. A new microwavable line of fresh-cut asparagus was introduced in April fromCedarville, N.J.-based Sheppard Farms. Sold through King'ssupermarkets in New Jersey, the product is the result of collaboration between Rutgers University and Sheppard Farms. Tom Orton, Extension specialist with Rutgers Agriculture Research Center and part of the Food Innovation Center, said the microwavableasparagus package took about 14 months to develop, a short amount of time compared to many new product rollouts. He, along with packaging consultant William Romig, looked for new ways to use an innovative package.
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