The City of Winnipeg continues to try out beet juice as part of its road de-icing efforts.

Cheryl Anderson,acting manager of street maintenance, says this will be the third year beet juice will be used in the sanding mixture for the east area of the city. She says it's used as a pre-wetting additive.

"What happens is, when we have our sand spreaders, it covers the sand as it's going out and it helps it stick to the ground," says Anderson.

Anderson says the use of beet juice reduces the city's need for calcium chloride, though she doesn't think calcium chloride will be completely replaced by beet juice products.

"I think there's a plan to continue on with this and to see if we can bring it into the (city's program)," she says.

Anderson says the city has been trying out different vendors to see what works best with its spreading system.

She says beet juice is used up to about -30 degree weather.

Assiniboine Park, meanwhile, is also into the beet juice game. Goundskeeper Bob Turcotte says they use Fusion, a liquid beet juice-based product, on their pathways but not their roads. On their roads, they use beet juice-coated sand. Turcotte says they've been using Fusion for about four years, and they're using it more. He says they're still seeing what works best, and it's evolving. He expects the product to be used more and more in Manitoba, as it becomes more available.