From 2018 to today, the Umberto Veronesi Foundation has collected with the initiative “The tomato for research. Good for you, good for the environment” more than 1 million and 700 thousand euros in favor of research and treatment of tumors affecting children and adolescents. Il April 15th and 16th 2023 the Foundation returns to main Italian squares to distribute, against a donation of €10, its solidarity product par excellence: a trio of tomatoes in steel cans dedicated to supporting childhood cancer research and treatment.
The event, now in its sixth edition, sees the Foundation side by side with the National Association of Industrial Canned Food Vegetables (ANICAV) and the National Consortium for the recycling and recovery of steel packaging (RICREA).
But why tomato? Chiara Segre and Alessandro Vitale, respectively Head and Member of the Scientific Supervision of the Umberto Veronesi Foundation, tell us: according to some studies, the Carotenoids contained in tomatoes not only have an antioxidant function, but would help strengthen the immune system and also act as an anticancer agent. The most documented inverse correlation between tomato consumption and tumors is that with prostate cancer, a tissue in which lycopene is concentrated in a particular way.
The protective effect of tomato on tumors, prostate and ovarian cancer
A study in which approximately 50.000 subjects were followed for 12 years demonstrated a protective effect on prostate cancer for those who consumed at least one portion of tomato puree per week. More recently, a similar protective effect of tomato has also been reported with regard to ovarian canceror. These data show us that an increase in tomato consumption in all its forms is absolutely desirable, a suggestion that fits perfectly with the dictates of the Mediterranean diet.
Pediatric cancers still represent the leading cause of death from disease in children
Around 250 children in the world fall ill with cancer every year. Only in Italy there are 12 new cases in the age group ranging from 1.400 to 0 years and 14 among adolescents (800-15 years) over the course of 19 months. Pediatric cancers still represent the leading cause of death from disease in children and have a dramatic impact on their lives and those of the whole family.
Going into the specific tomato nutraceutical, it is first of all clear that it has a remarkable nutritional value. It has an important richness in vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin C, folate and potassium, in more it contains ascorbic acid and carotenoids. The carotenoids are a group of phytochemicals responsible for some typical colors of plant foods (yellow, orange and red). They play a important role in the prevention of human disease and in maintaining good general health. In addition to being powerful antioxidants, some carotenoids (beta carotene) also contribute to the formation of vitamin A.
Tomatoes are a source of essential vitamins and minerals for the body and play an important role in disease prevention
Carotenoids are among the most studied molecules for their potential role on human health. In particular, the tomato contains the carotenoid lycopene which gives the ripe fruit its characteristic red color and has a strong antioxidant action. Other substances contained in ripe tomatoes have antioxidant properties: polyphenols, compounds produced by the secondary metabolism of plants, the concentration of which seems to decrease as ripening proceeds and is higher in tomatoes grown in open fields than in those grown in greenhouses; flavanones, naringenin and, among the phenolic acids, chlorogenic acid. In the tomato there are other molecules such as solanine, an alkaloid with a moderately toxic action, present in the unripe tomato and in particular in the peel which gradually disappears with maturation and is not very resistant to heat. Tomatine or lycopersicin, an alkaloid that is scarcely toxic to humans, is produced by fungal infections and mechanical damage to the fruit and is lost as it ripens while it remains in the leaves and seeds.
The macro- and micro-nutrient composition of the tomato, as for all fruit and vegetable products, is strongly influenced by factors such as the type of cultivar (i.e. the cultivated variety), agronomic practices, exposure to sunlight, soil characteristics, technological transformation and the cooking method to which we eventually subject the product. For example, vitamin C and beta-carotene continue to accumulate in tomatoes that continue the ripening phase even after harvesting, but the accumulation of beta-carotene is still lower than in tomatoes that ripen on the plant. The concentration of lycopene increases as the fruit ripens. However, tomatoes grown in greenhouses have lower lycopene concentrations than those grown in the field. It has also been highlighted that the highest concentrations of carotenoids are found in tomatoes harvested in June, December and March, while the concentration of these molecules is lower in the warmer months.
The PALM project for the development of new treatments for the treatment of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.
In 2023, the Umberto Veronesi Foundation will launch the "PALM" (Pediatric Acute Leukemia of Myeloid Origin) project, with the aim of creating a network of oncological structures for the development of new treatments for the treatment of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia.
Where to find the Tomatoes of the Veronesi Foundation in the square.
