The research was funded by ConAgra Foods, the manufacturer of Hunt's canned tomatoes, and the study was authored by Victor Fulgoni, III, Ph.D., of Nutrition Impact; as well as Kristi Reimers, Ph.D., R.D., and Patty Packard, M.S., R.D., both of ConAgra Foods. Presented by Fulgoni at the ADA's annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, the research is based on data from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES is a large national study of diet and health relationships among 13,292 American adults conducted annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"As a company, we're focused on better understanding the nutritional benefits of canned tomatoes," Reimers said. "We also have a strong interest in making sure consumers have science-based information to make food choices based on their personal nutrition needs. This study is part of the work we do to truly understand the health benefits a variety of products may have and to communicate those benefits to dietitians and consumers."