Monsanto (NYSE:MON), Apio Offering New Beneforté Broccoli

Monsanto (NYSE:MON) and partner Apio announced a new and improved strain of Broccoli named Beneforté will soon hit the supermarket shelves.

The broccoli will reportedly be ready to ship in the first quarter of 2011, according to Apio.

There won't be a large abundance of the broccoli, as the low amount of available seed will limit the initial launch.

Apio CEO Ron Midyett said the new broccoli variety was a cross between a wild variety found in the southern part of Italy and other more traditional varieties.

The asserted higher nutritional content comes with the wild variety, according to Midyett.

Claims by Midyett are the new Beneforté broccoli increases the antioxidant glucoraphanin enzyme levels of the human body at least twice that of existing broccoli varieties. He also said other antioxidants in the body get a boost as well.

Monsanto’s vice president of consumer benefits, David Stark, said concerning the multi-year project, “It is long road for us, but our objective is to bring flavor and nutrition back to produce so that people enjoy eating healthy foods.”

Stark said Monsanto has no problem with the claims made about the broccoli, and the "science of this is really good.”