Beyond Lycopene

Beyond Lycopene

By Angela M. Miraglio, R.D.
Contributing Editor

Lycopene,a red carotenoid found in tomatoes and a few other fruits and vegetables, mightprovide a number of potential health benefits. However, since tomatoes andtomato products represent approximately 85% of dietary lycopene, most researchinvestigates both lycopene and tomatoes for efficacy.

Lycopene, tomatoes and health

Whenresearchers first observed that tomato consumption was associated with a lowerrisk of prostate cancer, they identified lycopene as the probable antioxidantresponsible for this benefit. Idamarie Laquatra, Ph.D., R.D., director, globalnutrition, H. J. Heinz Company, Pittsburgh, PA, says, “Lycopene appears togive benefit from its antioxidant properties for prostate, breast and othercancers; cardiovascular disease; aging and macular degeneration;digestive health; and osteoporosis — and from its anti-inflammatory activityfor cardiovascular disease.”

To date, much research on lycopene and tomatoes has focused onprostate cancer. Laquatra explains that while epidemiologic research shows amodest positive effect for lowering the risk of prostate cancer, animal studiesalso look good, and a number of human studies indicate that tomatoes might begood for prostate health. She describes an ongoing study, sponsored by theNational Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, with men who had a prostatectomy inwhich those treated with whole tomatoes and tomato products had a delay in anincrease in their PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, which is used to helpdetect prostate cancer. “We still need more human studies. We havecase-controlled studies but no gold-standard randomized placebo-controlled,double-blind prospective study, which would be expensive and difficult to do,”she adds.

“Dosing studies have not been done. However, the populationstudies indicate that 12 to 1 cup oftomatoes or tomato sauce may reduce the risk of prostate cancer,” Laquatrasays. And she adds the good news is that there are no knownnegatives associated with tomato consumption.

Claiming benefit

“It lookslike other compounds in tomatoes work in conjunction with lycopene. Nutrition ismoving more towards whole foods,” Laquatra says. On Nov. 8, 2005, FDA gave a nod to a qualified health claimfor tomatoes and/or tomato sauce and a reduced risk for prostate cancer inresponse to a petition by the Lycopene Health Claim Coalition — H. J. HeinzCompany, Pittsburgh; LycoRed Natural Products Industries, Ltd., Be’er Sheva,Israel; The Morning Star Packing Company, Los Banos, CA; and the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Pleasanton, CA — whiledenying all proposed claims related to lycopene alone or as a component oftomatoes. The agency specified that 12 to1 cup of tomatoes and/or sauce per week as the minimum effective, and defined a tomato sauce as “a spiced or nonspiced tomato product thatcontains at least 8.37% of salt-free tomato solids.”

As with all health claims, a food that uses this new healthclaim cannot exceed the disqualifying levels for total fat, saturated fat,cholesterol or sodium, and must contain at least 10% Daily Value for vitamins A,C, iron, calcium, protein or dietary fiber per reference amount customarilyconsumed. Tomatoes easily meet these requirements, with the possibleexception of sodium in some tomato sauces. “Both fresh and processed tomatoes are treasures ofnutrients, with processed tomatoes having higher levels of nutrients simplybecause the vegetable is concentrated,” explains Laquatra. “In the Americandiet, tomatoes and tomato products are among the top food sources of vitamins C,A and E, potassium, and fiber.”

At the same time, in response to a petition from AmericanLongevity, Inc., San Diego, for several proposed claims on the relationship oflycopene and tomato products and the reduction of nine types of cancer, FDArejected all but four claims related to the consumption of tomatoes and/ortomato sauce, again denying any language that referred to lycopene. However, the wording of the claims for gastric, ovarian andpancreatic cancers cites the number of limited studies and ends with “FDAconcludes that it is unlikely that tomatoes reduce the risk of (gastric, ovarianand/or pancreatic) cancer.”

Natural tomato ingredients

Whiletomatoes rank among the most-consumed vegetables in the United States, a naturaltomato extract from LycoRed Natural Products, La Crosse, WI, offersopportunities to further increase the consumption of lycopene and otherphytonutrients found in tomatoes. Dave Thomas, director of business development,says the company’s GRAS-approved natural tomato powder was specificallydesigned for use in a variety of food and beverage applications, while otherGRAS-approved products were specifically developed for fortified fruit drinksand dry mixes.

Thomas explained that the natural tomato powder contains 0.8%lycopene and the same composition as a tomato; only the serum and water areremoved. Much of the research on lycopene uses these natural tomato extracts,thus the positive effect observed in studies should translate to productsformulated with the natural tomato powder. “Clinical studies tend to supporthealth benefits of natural tomato lycopene in promoting prostate, cancer andcardiovascular health, among others,” he says, noting that the benefitslargely result from the synergistic effect of the phytonutrient complex found intomato concentrate versus lycopene alone.

According to the company, about 6 to 10 mg of itsnatural-tomato extracts is equivalent to the 12 to1 cup of tomatoes or tomato-sauce serving specified by FDA inthe qualified health claim. Either 6 to 10 mg in a single serving, or a splitdose of 4 to 8 mg in two servings, could be used in applications.

The true story of lycopene and tomatoes is just beginning.Future research will provide better insight into the link between health and theconsumption of lycopene and the phytonutrients found in tomatoes.