Our laboratories have been evaluating a "food-based" approach to cancer prevention using black raspberries (BRBs) for the past 20⁺ years. Black raspberries contain multiple compounds with chemopreventive potential including vitamins A, C and E, selenium and calcium, numerous complex and simple polyphenols including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, quercetin, ferulic and coumaric acids, various carotenoids, and phytohormones such as β-sitosterol. Because BRBs are about 90% water, freeze-drying them concentrates these putative chemopreventive agents about 10-fold. Preclinical studies have shown that freeze-dried BRB powder inhibits the development of oral, esophageal, colon and breast tumors in animals. In humans, BRB powder exhibits chemopreventive effects on premalignant lesions in the oral cavity, esophagus and colon at dose levels that elicit little or no toxicity. BRBs function by reducing cell proliferation, inflammation and angiogenesis, and enhancing apoptosis, cell adhesion and differentiation. Molecular studies have identified multiple genes associated with these cellular functions that are protectively modulated by BRBs. Bio-fractionation studies suggest that most of the chemopreventive effects of BRBs are due to their content of polyphenols and fiber. It is likely that many other foodstuffs would exhibit protective effects if formulated in a manner similar to that described for BRBs.