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this theory has been widely debunked5, however the clinical importance of our diet is increasingly evident. To add context to why we see antioxidants linked to our foods, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) played a big role. In the early 2000s the USDA funded a large database of foods listing the ‘Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity’. In fact you can still download the 2nd release from 2010 here6. But by 2012, the online version was replaced with a solemn apology;
“In 2012 USDA's Nutrient Data Laboratory (NDL) removed the USDA ORAC Database for Selected Foods from the NDL website due to mounting evidence that the values indicating antioxidant capacity have no relevance to the effects of specific bioactive compounds, including polyphenols on human health... …There is no evidence that the beneficial effects of polyphenolrich foods can be attributed to the antioxidant properties of these foods”. … and now this apology has also been removed7. However, the important fact is sustained; fresh fruits and vegetables do make a significant contribution to our health. 33NEW selections being trialled at the Manjimup Research Horticulture Institute’s Australian National Breeding Program.
Ah ha, so it’s true, antioxidants are good! Well, they can function as antioxidants, but the reality is that their anti-oxidant ability has very little if anything to do with how these compounds aid the nutritional value of foods such as apples or other plant foods. Historically, the importance of antioxidants in our diet was raised in the 1950s, with the “Free Radical Theory of Aging”4, which outlines that aging is caused by accumulation of damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). The corollary was that antioxidants, including those you put on your face or eat, reduce this damage and increase your lifespan. Strictly put, 4 Harman D (1956). Aging: a theory based on free radical and radiation chemistry. J Gerontol 11: 298-300.
So how do we capture this for the fresh food industries? Clearly the term ‘flavonoid’ is not as catchy as antioxidant, and it most likely never will be. The Federal Government, through the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) authority, recently revised the health claims legislation to allow new applications for validated high level health claims8.
5 Gladyshev VN (2014). The free radical theory of aging is dead. Long live the damage theory! Antioxid Redox Signal. 20:727-731. Available at https://doi.org/10.1089/ars.2013.5228 6 USDA Database for the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) of Selected Foods, Release 2 (2010). Available at www.orac-infoportal.de/download/ORAC_R2.pdf 7 Cunningham E (2013). What Has Happened to the ORAC Database? J Acad Nutr Dietetics, 113: 740. Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jand.2013.03.007 8 Reviews of food-health relationships for high level health claims. Available at www. foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/labelling/ nutrition/pages/reviewsforhighlevelc3090.aspx
At present, there are 13 pre-approved high level health claims, one of which states “a diet high in fruit and vegetables reduces risk of coronary heart disease”. The ECU and UWA are currently completing further clinical studies with BRAVO™, which will establish whether regular consumption of BRAVO™ apples results in an improvement in markers of blood vessel health. With the data our group have and are continuing to amass, there is a very real possibility of applying for a high level health claim specifically for apple intake. However, this alone may not be the most effective means to capture this value for the industry in the way of increased value or volume. Hence, the UWA have also undertaken market research to understand how consumers ascribe a health value when shopping for foods. We have already showed that the perceived health value of apples is more important than whether it is organic9. But how do consumers decide whether an apple or other fruit or vegetable is healthy when presented in a supermarket or growers market? Early insights into our most recent studies suggest a that both colour and origin are important. These results, as well as the BRAVO™ clinical studies, will be reported in upcoming editions of the WA Grower magazine. One other important context is how we might improve these health values. We have shown that different varieties contain vastly different levels of flavonoids9. UWA are now leading a national funding application to develop new breeding technologies to speed up the process of breeding and identifying new, high-value apples in the DPIRD Australian National Apple Breeding Project. This research will focus on flavonoids, but create data that will also underpin accelerated breeding for other high-value traits. The intention is to later extend this path to other important fruit and tree crops in WA and Australia. MORE INFORMATION Contact Nardia Stacy on (08) 9368 3869 or nardia@pomewest.net.au
9 Considine M (2015). Bridging the knowledgegap to breed high-value flavonoid-rich apples. Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd (AP12036). Available at www.horticulture.com.au/growers/ help-your-business-grow/research-reportspublications-fact-sheets-and-more/ap12036
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