Christine Schümann winner of European Alpro Foundation Award

 

 
Christine Schümann, (Christian Albrechts University, Kiel), was awarded the “European Alpro Foundation Award 2009”. The award is a prestigious distinction for a thesis which discusses the effects of plant-based nutrition and the impact on human health. Today, the Award was presented for the second time. Mrs Renate Sommer, Member of the European Parliament, handed over the prize to Mrs. Schümann. With this award, Alpro Foundation aims to stimulate scientific research in Europe in the field of plant-based food and health.
 
 
The Winning Dissertation
The winning dissertation was selected from five European candidates who had already won the national award in their countries. Christine Schümann won the award for her research on the prevention of cancer in relation to the consumption of cabbage vegetables.
 
“Research into cancer and how we can prevent certain cancers by small changes to our diet is of course of the utmost importance. Research such as this helps to draw attention to the importance of a balanced nutrition on our health; by organizing the Alpro Foundation Award, the Alpro Foundation aims to increase nutritional knowledge through research” says Mrs Christine Debeuf of the Alpro Foundation Board.
 
Epidemiological studies indicate that consumption of brassica vegetables such as broccoli may lower the risk for several cancers. Mrs. Schümann’s research thesis investigated which components in broccoli are responsible for this protective effect.
 
Broccoli and other Brassica vegetables are rich in certain components (sulphur-containing glucosinolates), which can be converted by the enzyme myrosinase (which is naturally present in these vegetables) into active components (isothiocyanates and indoles). One of these active components, sulforaphane, stimulates defense mechanisms in the cells in order to protect them against cancer.
 
The defense mechanism is related to increased anti-oxidant activity and Nrf2 activity, both are important in cancer prevention. This thesis shows that the conversion by the enzyme myrosinase, naturally present in brassica vegetables, is essential for the protective effects of brassica vegetables.
 
During the award ceremony, Prof Dr Jaak Jannsens, president of the European Cancer Prevention organization, emphasized the importance of our diet for cancer prevention.

 

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