Scientists are looking to improve the nutritional value of fruits
and vegetables. Many yellow, orange and red vegetables get their color
from carotenoids--pigments that may help counter eye diseases such as
macular degeneration and cancer. The red pigment contained in
tomatoes--lycopene--appears to act as an antioxidant, neutralizing free
radicals that can damage cells in the body. Studies have revealed that
lycopene may have twice the punch of another well-known antioxidant,
beta carotene.
Scientists have developed tomato breeding lines that can produce
cherry tomatoes with enhanced beta-carotene content. They also are
looking for genes that cue tomatoes to produce lycopene. The research
may lead to fresh market and processing tomatoes with more lycopene than
ever.
Contact: John Stommel, USDA-ARS Genetic Improvement of Fruits and
Vegetables Laboratory, Room 238, 10300 Baltimore Ave., Building 010A
BARC-WEST, Beltsville, MD 20705. Phone: 301-504-5583. Fax: 301-504-5555.
Email: john.stommel@ars.usda.gov. Betty Ishida, USDA-ARS Western
Regional Research Center, Room 0123, 800 Buchanan St., Albany, CA 94710.
Phone: 510- 559-5726. Fax: 510-559-5866. Email:
betty.ishida@ars.usda.gov.
Improving our nutrition and consuming a variety of diets remain
important approaches for the prevention of chronic diseases, such as
some types of cancer. As part of its research activities, the Center for
Environmental Systems and Human Exploration of Space at Tuskegee
University processes large amounts of sweet potatoes for use on space
missions. Scientists are developing processes that utilize sweet potato
byproducts, such as the peels. Sweet potato peels are a good source of
dietary fiber, which has been associated with reduced intestinal bulk, a
decreased risk of cancer and other health-promoting activities. Some
types of cancer and other chronic diseases have been associated with
insufficient dietary fiber intake. These potato peels can be effective
as a natural approach to enhancing our fiber content. After experiments,
dehydrated sweet potato peels had a total fiber content of 33.7% with
roughly 11% soluble fiber. Contact: Peter Gichuhi, Department of Food
and Nutritional Sciences, 303 Campbell Hall, Tuskegee University,
Tuskegee, AL 36088. Phone: 334-727-8668. Email: pgichuhi@tuskegee.edu.
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