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Monday, January 23, 2006

AGE-RELATED MEMORY IMPROVEMENT LINKED WITH CONSUMPTION OF APPLE PRODUCTS

LOWELL, MASS. (January 19, 2006) - "An apple a day" now has new meaning for those who want to maintain mental dexterity as they age. New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that consuming apple juice may protect against cell damage that contributes to age-related memory loss, even in test animals that were not prone to developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

"This new study suggests that eating and drinking apples and apple juice, in conjunction with a balanced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of oxidative stress - and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods," notes lead researcher Thomas B. Shea, Ph.D ., director of the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, whose study was just published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. Although more research is needed, Shea is excited about these brain health findings, which are encouraging for all individuals who are interested in staying mentally sharp as they age.

Using a well-established animal protocol, Shea and his research colleagues assessed whether consumption of apple juice was protective against oxidative brain damage in aging mice, damage that can lead to memory loss. "These newer findings show that there is something in apples and apple juice that protects brain cells in normal aging, much like the protection we previously saw against Alzheimer-like symptoms," says Shea.

The researchers evaluated adult and aged mice using a standard diet, a nutrient-deficient diet, and a nutrient-deficient diet supplemented with apple juice concentrate in drinking water. Although the adult mice tested were not affected negatively by the deficient diets, the aged mice were, which is consistent with normal aging due to oxidative neurodegeneration. The effect on cognition among the aged mice was measured through well-established maze tests, followed by an examination of brain tissue. However, the aged mice who consumed the diets supplemented with apple juice performed significantly better on the maze tests and all had less oxidative brain damage than those on the standard diet.

Supplementation by apple juice fully protected the aged mice from the oxidative stress caused by the nutrient-deficient diet. In addition, stronger mental acuity resulted when the aged mice consumed the human equivalent of 2-3 cups of apple juice or approximately 2-4 apples per day. "We believe that this effect is due to the apple's naturally high level of antioxidants," states Shea. Previous research with his colleagues also determined that it is not the sugar and energy content of the apple juice, but the antioxidant attributes of apple juice that are responsible for the positive effects.

This study was sponsored through an unrestricted grant by the U.S. Apple Association and the Apple Products Research and Education Council.

The research abstract can be found at http://www.j-alz.com/issues/8/vol8-3.html.
7:54 AM 113803197936933312

Thursday, January 12, 2006


New England Fresh-cut Apple Slices

A New Opportunity for New England's Apple Growers



New England's state departments of agriculture will soon be concluding a market research activity directed at tapping into the fast-growing "fresh-cut" fruit market. The primary goal of the activity has been to increase consumption of New England apples. Fresh-cut apple slices are not seen as a replacement for whole apples, but as an opportunity to gain greater access to the growing convenience or snack-food market (including candy, chips, sugar-laden pastries and other items).

During the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older-over 60 million people-are obese. This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens aged 6-19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are considered overweight.

New England's produce industry can help to reverse this trend by making its products more accessible to "on the go" consumers! Here are some related facts & figures:

? For over a decade, U.S. fresh apple consumption has been on the decline. In 1990, per capita consumption was 19.58 pounds; in 2002, consumption had dropped to 15.6 pounds.
? Convenience has become a critical factor in food sales. Nearly 50 percent of the U.S. food dollar is now spent on foodservice sales (restaurants, schools, etc.).
? Within the next ten years, convenience foods are expected to account for 50 percent of supermarket sales.
? Fresh-cut produce is the fastest growing segment of the produce industry. Nationwide, fresh-cut fruit sales are $300 million, and they're expected to grow to over $1 billion in the next three to four years.
? Last year, MacDonald's introduced its Apple Dippers product, which used 1 percent of the entire U.S. apple crop.
? To ensure New England state apple growers access to this important market sector, the New England state departments of agriculture obtained a USDA grant to conduct a business analysis and explore marketing opportunities for fresh-cut apple slices in our region.
? School foodservice managers are excited about the fresh-cut apple slices. There's no waste to deal with. Kids enjoy eating the slices. Kids in the 5- to 8-year old range (those losing their "baby teeth") can comfortably eat the slices.
? Apples are less likely to promote tooth decay than many other snacks (candy, chips, etc.).

The Harvest New England Association would like to thank the New England Apple Association and J.P. Sullivan & Company for their support of the fresh-cut apple slices project.

Opportunities may be available for other New England produce, including:

Carrots
Blueberries
Cranberries
Cherry tomatoes



For more information on the Harvest New England program go to:
www.harvestnewengland.org
8:34 AM 113708424114476283

Tuesday, September 28, 2004

Cider Consumers Cherish Choices

In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, began a series of steps to minimize risks associated with the consumption of fresh juices, including apple cider. Effective January 20, 2004, the final rule for juice processing went into place. The final rule, published in the January 19, 2001 Federal Register, provided for a three-year phase-in of sanitation requirements, and a phase-out of business exemptions.

While some cider producers in Vermont and other states decided to simply close their businesses rather than comply with the new rules, others decided to "bite the bullet" and change their practices. While most of the fresh cider produced in Vermont is now pastuerized (through a flash-heating process similar to treating milk), others have invested in a newer technology involving a UV (ultraviolet) light process, similar to the effects of sunlight.

All producers selling through wholesale channels (e.g. supermarkets and convenience stores) must now use either pastuerization or UV treatments to achieve a 5-log reduction of potential pathogens. The term "log" is short for logarithm, which is a "power of ten". FDA-approved treatments must reduce pertinent microorganisms 10,000-fold, or by 99.999%. In addition, those producers must establish a written Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan, detailing specific sanitary processes for processing, holding and transporting cider.

Recognizing the importance of direct sales of cider through small, local cider mills, the FDA continues to allow fresh, untreated cider to be sold directly to consumers. A specific warning statement, however must accompany juice containers, or if the cider is sold or distributed by the cup for immediate consumption, the warning statement must be posted in the cider production facility. This statement is important to consumers with immuno-compromised systems, especially very young children and the elderly.

Consumers have a choice when buying apple cider. Those households with young children or elderly persons should stick with pastuerized or UV-treated product. Others, especially those desiring the traditional "kick" of old-fashioned cider, may choose fresh, untreated cider.

A great way to avoid the controversy over the safety of home-pressed cider is to serve hot mulled cider. FDA recommends heating cider to 155 degrees F for 30 minutes, or 180 degrees F for 15 seconds as a pastuerization equivalent. Add a cinnamom stick or sliced oranges for flavor variations.



7:54 AM 109638670275537950

Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Research Reports Apples, Juice May Aid Brain Health

Want to keep your brain on its toes? Then you may want to keep in mind that old adage about "an apple a day." New research from the University of Massachusetts Lowell suggests that apple juice may protect against oxidative damage that contributes to age-related brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, and may help to maintain brain performance - indicating that eating apples and drinking apple juice may impact our brain's health and mental acuity throughout life.
"This is incredible food for thought," says lead researcher Thomas B. Shea, Ph.D., director of the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Center for Cellular Neurobiology and Neurodegeneration Research, whose work on mice was just published in the February issue of the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging.
While he cautions his findings in animals are preliminary and more research is needed, Shea characterizes these results as very encouraging news about brain health for apple and apple juice fans of all ages who are interested in staying mentally sharp.
Shea and his colleagues assessed whether the consumption of apple juice was protective against oxidative brain damage that results from normal metabolism, dietary insufficiencies or genetic deficiencies.
"Our results suggest that something in apple juice appears to protect the brain against oxidative damage, and improves cognitive performance in these animals, even when we impose dietary or genetic challenges," said Dr. Shea. "We think that this 'something' is the apple's naturally high level of antioxidants."
The researchers evaluated normal adult mice as well as mice that carry a gene associated with diseases like Alzheimer's. Groups of both types of mice were exposed to either a "complete" diet including known antioxidants, or a "deficient" diet that is thought to increase oxidative damage. Some mice in each group then received apple juice concentrate in concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 percent in their drinking water. Other mice received sugar water to approximate the concentrate's natural sugar and energy content.
After one month on the test diets, the animals were put through two different well-established maze tests to determine their memory and learning capabilities. Mice who consumed the diets augmented with apple juice tended to perform better on the maze tests and all had less oxidative brain damage than control mice. In fact, adding apple juice to the diet completely protected the normal mice from the oxidative damage caused by the deficient diet - and protected the genetically-deficient mice from both their genetic predisposition and the deficient diet, allowing them to perform at the same level as normal mice being fed the complete diet.
Although the UMass Lowell researchers did not study what components in apples were responsible for the neuroprotec-tive effects demonstrated, they ruled out sugar and energy con-tent, suggesting that the antioxidant potential of apple juice was responsible.
The results obtained were from moderate amounts of apple juice - comparable to drinking a couple of good-sized glasses of apple juice or eating a couple of apples a day. The findings also suggest that apple juice was most helpful in the framework of an overall healthy diet.
Research has shown that apples are a rich source of antioxidants; Cornell University researchers reported in the journal Nature in 2000 that one apple packs more cancer-fighting anti-oxidant capability than a 1,500-milligram dose of vitamin C.
"This research suggests that eating apples and drinking apple juice, in conjunction with a bal-anced diet, can protect the brain from the effects of stress - and that we should eat such antioxidant-rich foods," said Shea.
This study was sponsored through an unrestricted grant by the U.S. Apple Association and the Apple Products Research and Education Council. The study confirms and expands upon an earlier study (Ortiz and Shea) accepted for publication in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
More information and complete text of the published article can be found on www.uml.edu/dept/Biology/tshea/index.htm.
5:17 AM 108488275584976089

Sunday, September 08, 2002

New Study Links Apples To Reduced Risk Of Stroke

MCLEAN, Va. "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" continues to gain new scientific support, according to newly-published research that links apples to a reduced risk of stroke.

In a study released this week in the May issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Finnish researchers concluded there is an association between apple consumption and a reduced risk of stroke, after studying a large group of 9,208 Finnish men and women for more than 25 years. After following the study group for 28 years, researchers determined that study participants who ate the most apples had the lowest risk for stroke, where a blood clot starves part of the brain of oxygen.

"Apples, apple juice and other apple products have always been in the forefront of a healthy diet," noted Sue Taylor, R.D., director of nutrition communications for the Processed Apples Institute. "This and other recent research confirms what our Moms have known all along: that a serving of apples or apple juice really will keep the doctor away!" "An apple a day, literally, appears to confer all kinds of health benefits, from heart and lung health to now stroke prevention," said Julia Daly, public relations director for the U.S. Apple Association.

Two other epidemiological studies from Finland published in recent years found that consumption of plant-based "phytonutrients" found in apples were correlated with reductions in the risk of developing both heart disease and lung cancer. Both studies pointed to quercetin, from a class of phytonutrients called flavonoids, as the beneficial agent. Apples are the best fruit source of quercetin.

Last spring, researchers at the University of California-Davis (UC-Davis) reported that both apple juice and apples are loaded with these newly-identified phytonutrients now being praised for their health benefits. They found that apple flavonoids may help prevent the damaging effects of the "bad" type of cholesterol on the cardiovascular system.

The latest Finnish study suggests there may be more to apples' healthfulness than previously thought. Researchers reported that while there was a strong relationship between apple consumption and reduced risk of stroke, the benefit did not appear to be related to apples' high quercetin content - suggesting that some unidentified component in apples may be at work. "Nutrients in apples and other foods work in complex synergy we don't completely understand, making it difficult to single out any one nutrient as responsible for apple's protective benefits," said UC-Davis researcher Dianne Hyson, M.S., R.D. "This study adds to the growing body of evidence that apples and apple juice are associated with a number of health benefits."
9:46 AM 81317778

Pumping Up With Apples

Old news is good news, in the case of apples! The health benefits of apples and apple products were first recorded during medieval times, giving rise to the old English saying, "Ate an apfel avore gwain to bed makes the doctor beg his bread," translated today as, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." While it is widely known apples are an excellent source of dietary fiber, apples and apple products also have recently been found to contain high levels of powerful phytonutrients providing important health benefits. Following are summaries of several studies that have been conducted to date on apples and apple products.

Nature, June 2000: Researchers at Cornell University found that phytonutrients in apples inhibited the growth of colon cancer and liver cancer cells in in vitro laboratory experiments. According to researchers, 100 grams of unpeeled fresh apple - about two-thirds of a medium-sized apple - provides the total antioxidant activity of 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C.

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, May 2000: Finnish researchers found that individuals who ate the most apples had the lowest risk of thrombotic stroke, possibly due to the phytonutrients found in the apples. Researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing the dietary records and health outcomes of 9,208 men followed in this 28-year study.

Thorax, January 2000: British researchers concluded that apple eaters had better lung function than non- apple eaters. They found a strong positive association between lung function and the number of apples eaten each week after analyzing dietary records and health outcomes of a study group of 2,512 men followed for five years. Researchers suggested antioxidants in apples (e.g., flavonoids like quercetin) might explain the healthful effect.

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, January 2000: Hawaiian researchers found that increased consumption of quercetin was associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer in this study of 600 lung cancer patients and an equal number of cancer-free persons. Researchers investigating a possible relationship between the consumption of flavonoids and lung cancer risk found a statistically significant inverse association between consumption of the flavonoid quercetin, found primarily in apples and onions, and lung cancer risk. This study validated similar findings published in 1997 (see below.)

Life Sciences, April 1999: Researchers at the University of California-Davis reported that phytonutrients in apples and apple juice prevent oxidation of "bad" cholesterol in this in vitro experiment, and thus may help protect against cardiovascular disease. They also confirmed important apple phytonutrients are found in significant levels in apple juice.


American Journal of Epidemiology, 1997: Epidemiologists from Finland's National Public Health Institute found that consumption of a flavonoid-rich diet - particularly, flavonoids from apples - was associated with a reduced risk of developing cancer. In a study involving 9,959 men and women followed for 24 years, researchers found that lung cancer was 46 percent lower among those whose diets contained the highest amount of flavonoids. Of the major dietary flavonoid sources, consumption of apples showed the greatest inverse association with lung cancer incidence.

British Medical Journal, 1996: Epidemiologists from Finland's National Public Health Institute concluded that high consumption of flavonoids from apples and onions was directly associated with the lowest risk for coronary mortality, based on a 25-year study of 5,133 Finnish men and women.
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