Italy's anti-cancer 'supertomato'
Campania creation helps beat disease, expert says
09 March, 18:57
(ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - A 'supertomato' created by Italian
scientists is the perfect food for helping keep cancer at bay,
the head of the World Foundation of Urology said on Tuesday.
Launching Prostate Cancer Week in Italy, Mauro Dimitri said
the 'supertomato' created by the Biomolecular Institute at the
Naples National Research Centre offered a unique blend of
nutritional qualities."This tomato has nutritional characteristics that are ideally suited for preventing disease," explained Dimitri. "It has a total anti-oxidant activity superior to all other tomato hybrids normally for sale, both fresh and preserved.
"It has a greater content of the cancer-fighting carotene lycopene and vitamin C than is found in purple tomatoes, and the same anti-inflammatory properties as the San Marzano tomato". According to Dimitri, these qualities not only make it suitable for fending off prostate cancer but also for reducing the risks of a host of other diseases in which oxidative stress and the subsequent creation of free radicals play a role. These include cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Parkinson's Disease and osteoporosis, as well as cancers of the lung and stomach. The team of scientists that created the tomato has been at pains to stress that it involved no genetically modified organisms but is a simple blend of two existing varieties: the San Marzano, famed for its taste and anti-inflammatory properties, and the Black Tomato, a purple fruit high in anti-oxidants. The real name of the 'supertomato', Maxantia, is still awaiting registration but widespread cultivation of the bright red, plum tomato has already got under way in Campania. Speaking at the official unveiling of the 'supertomato' a few months back, Naples Agriculture Councillor Francesco Emilio Borrelli said it was a fruit that combined the best of Campania tomatoes. "Our supertomato is a natural blend that has fused two genetic heritages to obtain a new variety with high, health-giving properties," he said. In recognition of its healthy qualities, Campania regional authorities have also backed a commercial deal with local pizza makers.
The aim is to encourage local pizzaioli to use the Maxantia on their pizzas as a healthier alternative to regular tomatoes. In addition to its innately healthy properties, the supertomato also boasts another key advantage over other fruit and vegetables, in that it loses just 20% of its anti-oxidant properties when cooked.
Discussing the dangers of prostate cancer and the launch of the weeklong campaign, Dimitri warned it was the commonest tumour among men in Italy, with 37,000 new cases each year, causing 9,000 deaths annually.
