The baking industry could do its bit to combat cancer by including extracts from mangos in a range of products. Mangos are rich in antioxidants and dietary fibre, according to new scientific research.

The Journal of Cereal Science reported that, during the research, mango peel powder had been used to make soft dough biscuits that passed a consumer acceptance test. "It may be concluded from the present study that mango peel powder could be incorporated up to a 10% level in the formulation of biscuits, without affecting their overall quality," scientists from India’s Central Food Technological Research Institute stated.

Confirmation of the high concentration of dietary fibre in mango extracts comes amid mounting evidence that dietary fibre can help combat cancer and cardiovascular disease.

However, a survey by Columbia University showed the average daily intake in the US was 12.5g, which falls well short of the 32g recommended daily intake advised by the US National Fibre Council.

Researchers from Venezuela and Ecuador previously extracted dietary fibre from unripe mangos and incorporated it into cookies and bread with favourable results. These were published in the journal LWT ? Food Science and Technology, published by the International Union of Food Science.