FTC defends health benefits of fruit despite FDA claim
FTC defends health benefits of fruit despite FDA claim
There seems to be little doubt that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables will help fight cancer, but the Food & Drug Administration continues to find no strong link between eating tomatoes, with their high levels of lycopene, and reducing cancer risks.
In a July 18 medical journal, FDA researchers showed how they reviewed 81 studies -- and rejected all of them -- to reach the conclusion that there is little evidence backing the claim that lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, reduces the risk of cancer, including prostate, lung, colorectal, stomach, breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and pancreatic.
More than half of 64 studies on tomatoes and tomato products and cancer were strong enough to be included in the review, but the agency found no credible evidence to support the claim that these products lower the risk of many forms of cancer. The evidence pointing to prostate cancer was better, but limited.
Consumers should look at the whole body of research about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and preventing cancer, said Samantha Winters of the Florida Tomato Committee.
Some of the studies are beginning to point not to one antioxidant in the tomato but perhaps several antioxidants working together, "so that lends itself to looking at the whole fruit," she said.
"We still believe there is a strong health message to eating tomatoes," said Ms. Winters, who noted that the FDA has approved a new, limited health claim for prostate cancer benefits.
"There is no new news here," said Michael Mullen, director of Global Corporate Affairs for H.J. Heinz Co. "The FDA information is merely a recap of what was given to Heinz when we made a petition for a health claim two years ago."
The FDA's review came in response to a petition filed by Heinz, the company asking to market the health benefits of lycopene and tomatoes on product labels. The FDA dismissed much of the petition for several kinds of cancer, but said there was "very limited credible evidence" linking tomatoes and/or tomato sauce to reducing prostate cancer risks.
"Since Heinz does not make any claims regarding lycopene on any of its products, our business is unaffected by the latest FDA statements," Mr. Mullen said. "Lycopene is an important antioxidant which Heinz continues to believe is helpful in the battle against prostate cancer and other cancers."
Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health cautioned against dismissing the health connection.
"Given the complexities of studying the relationship between tomato or lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk, both in terms of the exposures and the outcome, one should not be too surprised that no firm conclusion of benefit would be made in the FDA review," Mr. Giovannucci said in an editorial accompanying the FDA study. "Although it may be premature to espouse increased consumption of tomato sauce or lycopene for prostate cancer prevention, this area of research remains promising."
This study comes as another study yielded disappointing results for women battling breast cancer. Called the largest and most comprehensive diet prevention study, the study found that the rates of breast cancer survival and recurrence did not improve for women when they ate nine or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables or followed the five-a-day diet. More than 3,000 women diagnosed with early stages of breast cancer were studied for 10 years.
The study's findings are "pivotal because we always assumed that we were not eating enough fruits and vegetables, and the more we ate, the more protected we would be against cancer," said Lovell Jones, the study's principal investigator at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
But just a week later, a study by Canadian researchers found a link between a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli and cauliflower, and lower rates of aggressive prostate cancer.
In a July 18 medical journal, FDA researchers showed how they reviewed 81 studies -- and rejected all of them -- to reach the conclusion that there is little evidence backing the claim that lycopene, the pigment that gives tomatoes their red color, reduces the risk of cancer, including prostate, lung, colorectal, stomach, breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian and pancreatic.
More than half of 64 studies on tomatoes and tomato products and cancer were strong enough to be included in the review, but the agency found no credible evidence to support the claim that these products lower the risk of many forms of cancer. The evidence pointing to prostate cancer was better, but limited.
Consumers should look at the whole body of research about the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables and preventing cancer, said Samantha Winters of the Florida Tomato Committee.
Some of the studies are beginning to point not to one antioxidant in the tomato but perhaps several antioxidants working together, "so that lends itself to looking at the whole fruit," she said.
"We still believe there is a strong health message to eating tomatoes," said Ms. Winters, who noted that the FDA has approved a new, limited health claim for prostate cancer benefits.
"There is no new news here," said Michael Mullen, director of Global Corporate Affairs for H.J. Heinz Co. "The FDA information is merely a recap of what was given to Heinz when we made a petition for a health claim two years ago."
The FDA's review came in response to a petition filed by Heinz, the company asking to market the health benefits of lycopene and tomatoes on product labels. The FDA dismissed much of the petition for several kinds of cancer, but said there was "very limited credible evidence" linking tomatoes and/or tomato sauce to reducing prostate cancer risks.
"Since Heinz does not make any claims regarding lycopene on any of its products, our business is unaffected by the latest FDA statements," Mr. Mullen said. "Lycopene is an important antioxidant which Heinz continues to believe is helpful in the battle against prostate cancer and other cancers."
Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health cautioned against dismissing the health connection.
"Given the complexities of studying the relationship between tomato or lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk, both in terms of the exposures and the outcome, one should not be too surprised that no firm conclusion of benefit would be made in the FDA review," Mr. Giovannucci said in an editorial accompanying the FDA study. "Although it may be premature to espouse increased consumption of tomato sauce or lycopene for prostate cancer prevention, this area of research remains promising."
This study comes as another study yielded disappointing results for women battling breast cancer. Called the largest and most comprehensive diet prevention study, the study found that the rates of breast cancer survival and recurrence did not improve for women when they ate nine or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables or followed the five-a-day diet. More than 3,000 women diagnosed with early stages of breast cancer were studied for 10 years.
The study's findings are "pivotal because we always assumed that we were not eating enough fruits and vegetables, and the more we ate, the more protected we would be against cancer," said Lovell Jones, the study's principal investigator at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
But just a week later, a study by Canadian researchers found a link between a diet rich in cruciferous vegetables, especially broccoli and cauliflower, and lower rates of aggressive prostate cancer.
