The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Wednesday concluded that tomatoes do not really help prevent cancer after its review of all known lycopene studies.(File Photo)

    BEIJING, July 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Wednesday concluded that tomatoes do not really help prevent cancer after its review of all known lycopene studies.

    "(The) review found no evidence that tomatoes reduced the risk of lung, colorectal, breast, cervical or endometrial cancer. However, there was very limited evidence for associations between tomato consumption and reduced risk of prostate, ovarian, gastric and pancreatic cancers."

    "Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that eating one-half to one cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer. (The) FDA concludes that there is little scientific evidence supporting this claim."

    The review, which appears in Tuesday's issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, refutes numerous studies which have pointed to a link between eating lycopene, the antioxidant that gives tomatoes their red color, and a reduced risk of certain cancers.

    However, Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health said the field of research remains promising, even if it is too early to point to a definitive relationship between consuming lycopene and lowering the risk of some cancers.

    The FDA undertook the review of 145 studies after a coalition of tomato-growers and tomato-product processors asked permission to include label information about the anti-cancer benefits of tomatoes.

    (Agencies)