Findings from a study at Oslo University in Norway might save your life. Professor Andrew Collins and his colleague Asim Duttaroy have published studies about the health benefits of GREEN kiwifruit, and are putting GOLD kiwifruit through similar tests.

Professor Collins has published research conducted at the acclaimed Rowett Institute in Scotland and at Oslo University that provides the scientific explanation confirming kiwifruit's roles in fighting cancer and DNA damage.

According to his Rowett study, the repair to lymphocyte DNA (the body's natural defense system) was remarkable after human participants consumed one to three kiwifruit daily over three consecutive, three-week periods. In fact, for those participants who ate up to three kiwifruit per day, the DNA repair rate was almost doubled.

The results of the work, published in Carcinogenesis in March 2003, showed that eating green kiwifruit daily can provide substantial protection against the kind of DNA damage that can cause cancer. Professor Collins explained that regular kiwifruit consumption can significantly reduce DNA breakage, due to the fruit's substantial antioxidant properties.

This study initially confirmed the disease-fighting potential of green kiwifruit, and now the focus is shifting to the newer gold variety.

"We want to see if gold kiwifruit is as potent a protector against cancer as we suspect and stimulates repair of damaged DNA as well as working to protect against inflammation, blood clots and cardiovascular disease," Professor Collins said.

The scientific investigation into the effects of ZESPRI® GOLD Kiwifruit on markers associated with prevention of cardiovascular disease and cancer has been designed as a controlled cross-over supplementation study, similar to those carried out previously with green kiwifruit.

The Oslo study involves 30 healthy volunteers aged between 20 and 65 years with no medical history of serious illness and who normally eat a little fruit.

Collins AR, Harrington V, Drew J, Melvin R. Nutritional modulation of DNA repair in a human intervention study. Carcinogenesis. 2003; 24:511-515.