Eating just over 100 grams of tasty sprouted vegetables every day for a fortnight has been shown to have clear protective effects against DNA damage in human blood cells, according to the researchers.
"DNA damage is associated with cancer risk. Sources of DNA damage include diet-related carcinogens, and bodily processes like oxidative stress – and the raw sprouts protect against this kind of damage.
"And just a portion – 113 grammes - per day of a mix of broccoli, radish, alfalfa and clover sprouts was enough in our tests to show the protective effect," said Professor Rowland.
Professor Rowland's research is to be published this summer in Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a respected academic journal of research in the field.
The findings were presented today at BioIreland 2004, – Stepping Stones To Success, a major all Ireland biotechnology conference being held at the University's of Ulster's Coleraine campus from June 20-22.
Scientists, politicians, enterprise agency representatives and venture capital finance experts from the US, Europe and beyond are at the University of Ulster's Coleraine campus for the conference, showcasing the strengths and business opportunities opening up for the island's burgeoning biotechnology sector.