Big health tick for canned peaches

Canned peaches can be more nutritious than fresh ones, according to a Californian study.

The study, published in Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, shows that whether they are canned or fresh, peaches can contribute to a healthy diet.

The paper suggests that the canning process makes many nutrients more bio-available.

Vitamin C levels were found to be almost four times higher in canned than fresh and retained those levels during a three-month storage period.

Folate levels were found to be 10 times higher in canned than fresh and retained those levels during storage.

Antioxidants were found to be one-and-a-half times higher in canned than fresh and also retained those levels during the storage period.

Fresh and canned had comparable levels of Vitamin E

Hawke's Bay grows and cans 4000 tonnes of peaches annually through Wattie's.

Wattie's nutritionist and New Zealand-registered dietitian, Sara Collie, said this was not the first study of its kind comparing the nutrient value of canned and fresh peaches, but it was one of the most significant.

"What we are seeing is more and more evidence that processing can maintain nutrient values. The advantages of canned tomatoes and tomato soups have long been recognised. Now we see it with peaches.

"However, from the sales volumes of canned peaches you would have to suspect the goodness of canned peaches is something consumers have had intuitive knowledge of for a long time. Wattie's peaches outsell all our other canned fruits."

Ms Collie said consumers often used canned fruits when fresh were out of season, and also for reasons of convenience.

"This study reassures consumers of the nutritional value of canned peaches, and should give New Zealanders another reason to include canned peaches as one of their five [fruit] a day."

The independent study was partially funded by the canning industry.