D.P.A,HAMBURG,GERMANY

German scientists have found new proof of the old adage about an apple a day keeping the doctor away by showing the fruit helps reduce the risk of colon cancer.Researchers led by Dr Dieter Schrenk found that apples and apple juice enhance biological mechanisms that produce anticarnims that produce anticarcinogenic compounds during the fermentation process.Their research was published in the April 2008 issue of the journal Nutrition.

Researchers said the presence of apple pectin and apple juice extracts increase the presence of the compound butyrate,which is believed to be a chemopreventative metabolite that might prevent the occurrence of colrectal cancer.Schrenk and his colleagues found that by the increaed production of butyrate via the addition of apple components,histne deacetlyases {HDAC} were inhibited.With slowed production of HDAC,there would be significantly less growth of precancerous and tumour cells.