Industry Stakeholders Rip Report Linking Citrus Consumption With Skin Cancer
July 1, 2015 The Florida citrus industry has taken its fair share of lumps lately. However, the recent release of a study from the Journal of Clinical Oncology (“Citrus Consumption and Risk of Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma”) is a low blow, says industry stakeholders.
“We support commentary by both the researchers associated with the study itself, as well as third party experts, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, that these findings do not warrant making any changes to grapefruit or orange juice consumption recommendations,” said David Steele, Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) spokesman.
Part of FDOC’s response points out that experts have acknowledged that the study has several significant limitations, including a study population not representative of the general population and inconsistencies in the findings related to risk and the form of citrus consumed by the participants.
In addition, FDOC argues that the study does not take into account the large body of scientific evidence and recommendations of global health and nutrition authorities that support the role 100% juices, such as orange and grapefruit juice, and fresh fruit, such as oranges and grapefruit, play in a healthy diet.
Loading ...“Citrus, either fresh or juiced, remains a delicious and nutritious part of a healthy diet,” said Doug Ackerman, FDOC’s executive director. “Nothing about that fact has changed.”
Steele says the difference between “links” and “causes” will remain a focal point of the response to this issue.
Florida Citrus Mutual Executive VP Mike Sparks gave the following statement to the Lakeland Ledger regarding the study and subsequent reports linking citrus to skin cancer:
“This is the next example of irresponsible journalism and irresponsible science regarding the nation’s food supply. It is infuriating that citrus products have to take an unnecessary hit to their reputation based on an ill-conceived study. One of the researchers is even quoted as saying people shouldn’t avoid citrus because of the report. Furthermore, scientific commentary regarding the study points out several weaknesses in its structure including the fact the subjects were not a representative sample of the general population. The scientists involved in this study should be ashamed for releasing it and they should be held accountable. Our consumers are smart enough to eat citrus so I’m confident they’ll be smart enough to see through this study.”
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