ABSTRACT
Several studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and human health. In fact, epidemiological research works have shown that food exerts a direct effect on health so that there is a close correlation between dietary habits and disease risk. These benefi cial effects of fruits and vegetables are believed to be due, among others, to their contents of fi ber, ascorbic acid, carotenoids
Departamento de Biología Vegetal, Sección Biología Vegetal (Unidad Asociada al CSIC, EEAD, Zaragoza e ICVV, Logroño), Facultades de Ciencias y Farmacia, Universidad de Navarra, C/ Irunlarrea 1, 31008-Pamplona, Spain. *Corresponding author: niegoi@unav.es
and polyphenols that may protect key biological constituents such as lipoproteins, membranes, and DNA (Szeto et al. 2004).
