Qld anti-cancer veg research

Radish sprouts may reduce prevalence of bowel cancer

Queensland research into the cancer-blocking benefits of some vegetables will be presented at the International Horticultural Congress in Korea 13-19 August 2006.

Dr Tim O’Hare, principal physiologist with the Department of Primary Industries at the Gatton Research Station, will discuss his work with Asian and western vegetables, particularly radish sprouts.

Cancer-blocking potential of ‘brassica family’ vegetables
For two years researchers have looked at the cancer-blocking potential of Asian and western vegetables belonging to the brassica family. These vegetables contain plant chemicals that convert to isothiocyanates when chewed.

Some isothiocyanates can induce detoxification enzymes that accelerate the removal of carcinogens from the human body, and are linked to a reduced prevalence of certain types of cancer, such as colon or bowel cancer.

Seed from 22 vegetables of the brassica family ranked
The research team has found radish, daikon (Japanese white radish) and broccoli sprouts topped the anti-cancer list, while those with moderate potential included seed of garden cress, rocket, kale, and watercress.

Research findings and benefits

• Sprouts have more cancer-blocking potential than mature vegetables because of differences in their content of beneficial plant chemicals.
• Radish and daikon sprouts may be better than broccoli sprouts because of a plant chemical interaction that can reduce the broccoli’s potency by up to 80%.
• The community benefits through potential health improvements and marketing opportunities for vegetable and sprout producers.

You can find out more about Australia’s agribiotech sector by visiting the agribusiness microsite or you can contact Michael Claessens, Senior Manager, Agribusiness, 02 6213 6704.