Amorphophall konjac

From: Paul Resslar <presslar at vwc.edu> on 1998.03.03 at 14:57:00(1936) Aroiders: Below is a letter I received, and I thought I would post it for your comments. With your permission, I will relay any comment to Dr. Vuksan. Paul +More Dear Prof.Resslar, I found your name on the Internet searching material related to Konjac glucomannan. My understanding is that at the Greenhouse you operate in Virginia you also have perennial herb Amorphophallus konjac Koch. We at the University of Toronto, Department of Nutritional Sciences are interested in this plant because of the root. The root, which is cultivated mainly in Japan and China, is planted in spring and harvested after 3 years. Konjac flour is dried, pulverized, and winnowed tubers of this herb. The dried tuber of the konjac plant containes about 60-80% konjac flouer. The flour containes a high molecular weight, highly viscous (soluble) dietary fiber, that effects sugar in the blood and cholesterol concentration. We studied this material for number of years and determined its health properties. One of the problems is that is grown mainly in Asia, not sufficiently to be exported in larger quantities to N.America. We would like to explore possibilities of growing Konjac in North America. If you know anything about this plant please let us know. Sincerely, Vlad Vuksan Associated Director, Clinical Trials Risk Factor modification Centre, St.Michael's Hospital Phone:(416)867-7450; Fax: 867-7442

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