Your source for fruit and vegetable news

By Bobbie Whitehead

Researchers say they have found another benefit to eating blueberries, a fruit with antioxidants and a component that may offset the aging effects.

The City of Hope, a leading research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases in Duarte, Calif., published a study in May that shows blueberries help to “control tumor growth, decrease metastasis and induce cell death in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells,” according to a press release.

TNBC cells lack certain receptors, “estrogen, progesterone and human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2),” making this subtype of cancer, which accounts for 15 percent of breast cancers, difficult to treat, according to the City of Hope.

“We observed that blueberries help fight triple-negative breast cancers by suppressing pathways critical to tumor development and migration,” said Shiuan Chen, Ph.D., director of City of Hope’s Division of Tumor Cell Biology.

When blueberry extract was applied to TNBC cell cultures, Chen and colleagues found that the extract inhibited TNBC cell movement and killed some cells at “over twice the rate of untreated cells,” City of Hope reports.

In tests on laboratory animals, the researchers found the TNBC tumors in animals given blueberry extract to weigh 70 percent less than those of the control group, and they found TNBC cells in the blueberry group also showed higher cell death.

“These results are promising because they demonstrated that the anticarcinogenic compounds are effectively absorbed when consumed orally and still have an impact on the cancer cells, and the amount given is equivalent to a 130-pound adult consuming about four ounces daily,” said Chen.

Chen and colleagues can be seen on YouTube discussing the breast cancer and blueberry research, http://www.youtube.com/cityofhopeonline#p/a/u/2/H8mr62MduuM

Growers

For Virginia grower J.M. Erwin, owner of Erwin Orchards in Zuni, blueberries stand out as a healthy fruit, and Erwin said he offers customers information on blueberry benefits.

“From all of the written information we have, blueberries appear to be the most healthy fruit,” said Irwin, who’ll have fresh blueberries, the Rabbiteye varieties - Tifblue, Powder Blue and Premier varieties, at his farm by the end of June.

Many area blueberry growers say they’re anticipating a good year.

Steve Berryman of College Run Farms in Surry, Va., grows early and mid-season variety blueberries and has had his blueberry field open for picking.

“It’s been pretty good so far,” said Berryman, noting he has a short gap between the early varieties and mid-season varieties. “After Father’s Day, the blueberry picking will pick up.”

At Drewry Farms in Wakefield, Lenora Drewry, whose berries will be ready by July 1, said the berries look good and are plentiful.

“We’re looking forward to a great season,” Drewry said. “We’ve had perfect weather temperature-wise, and we haven’t had to irrigate at all.”

Howard Piland of B&H Produce sells pre-picked blueberries at the Suffolk Farmers’ Market and grows Rabbiteye varieties.

“Customers looks for the health snacks, and blueberries have antioxidants, Piland said. “A people say blueberries and blackberries are good for them.”

Highbush Blueberries

Available 12 months a year, consumers in North America can find fresh blueberries from April through October, according to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council. Blueberry harvests occur first in the Southern United States about April and continue northward to Canada through the season.

Because of the growing demand for fresh market blueberries, over half of the commercial highbush blueberries produced are shipped to the fresh market, the USHBC reports.

In the United State, the USHBC reports that 35 states produce blueberries, but “more than 90% of the highbush crop” comes from Michigan, New Jersey, Oregon, North Carolina, Georgia and Washington.

Some markets selling blueberries include the following: