
 Two Strawberries Found to be Rich in Ellagic AcidBy Sean Adams August 11, 1997Two strawberry varieties developed by ARS scientists are rich in ellagic acid, a
natural organic compound that has been shown to inhibit certain types of
cancer. The researchers found that Tribute and Delite strawberries had the
highest ellagic acid levels among 36 varieties evaluated at the ARS
Fruit Laboratory in
Beltsville, MD. The researchers found ellagic acid in the strawberries seeds and fruit
pulp, but the highest concentration was in the leaves. Now the researchers will
use this information to breed strawberries with higher levels in the fruit
pulp. Its not yet known how much ellagic acid must be consumed to produce
beneficial effects. But studies with the National Cancer Institute and
Ohio States Department of
Preventive Medicine recommend a diet that includes strawberries, raspberries,
blackberries, cranberries, walnuts and pecans--all sources of the compound. Plants produce ellagic acid and glucose to form ellagitannins, water-soluble
compounds that are easier for people to absorb in their diets. This means small
amounts of ellagitannins may be more effective in the human diet than large
doses of ellagic acid. Strawberries produce at least five ellagitannins. The
chemical structures of these ellagitannins--and their effectiveness as
anticarcinogens--have not yet been determined. A report on studies of ellagic acid in strawberries appears in the August
issue of Agricultural
Research, the monthly magazine of the Agricultural Research Service.
The story is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/aug97/ellagic0897.htm Scientific contact: John L. Maas, USDA-ARS,
Fruit Laboratory, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350; phone 301-504-7653; fax
301-504-5062, [email protected] Story contacts Fruit Laboratory Sean T Adams U.S. Department of Agriculture | |