KiwiFruit Boosts Immunity

AUCKLAND, New Zealand—Zespri Gold kiwifruit has the ability to modulate an antigen-specific immune response, according to a recent study at The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of New Zealand (Nutr Resear. 2008;28(4):251-57) (DOI:10.1016/j.nutres.2008.01.009). Mice were fed Zespri Gold kiwifruit puree or Zespri Gold kiwifruit 40° Brix Juice concentrate for 20 days. During that time, the mice were immunized with ovalbumin and then given a suboptimal dose of the mucosal adjuvant cholera toxin. Zespri Gold kiwifruit puree enhanced the response to ovalbumin by significantly increasing the level so total immunoglobulins and immunoglobulin G specific for ovalbumin. It also enhanced the antigen-specific proliferation of cells from the draining mesenteric lymph nodes compared with mice fed a 20 percent sugar control.

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