A team of scientists from the Texas AgriLife Research Center has developed chemical compounds from stonefruit that are claimed have the potential to tackle obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Team leader Dr Luis Cisneros-Zevallos tells www.freshfruitportal.com the research follows from previous success with cell compounds developed from plums and peaches, which in 2010 were shown to combat breast cancer cells in mice.

The research into compounds that fight metabolic syndrome is still in its early stages, but early results have been positive.

"The results are going to be presented at the American Chemical Society in August, and will be published soon," says the Peruvian.

"We’re at the stage where soon we will be doing tests with mice and we are expecting results from that in the fall. That's the plan."

"Essentially, the first stage is to identify the chemical compounds to see the potential that exists, the second stage is to validate that with mice, and the third is to confirm whether there are similar effects on people."

Cisneros-Zevallos says his personal philosophy is that the creation of knowledge and information go towards opening up possibilities for new markets.

"For example, a lot of growers are focused on the fresh market, but depending on how the tests go and the dose that’s needed for a potential product, there could be different markets for functional foods like supplements and herbal pills."

www.freshfruitportal.com