11-23-2012, 03:19 AM
(This post was last modified: 11-24-2012, 11:46 AM by Administrator.)
Genetically modified food is becoming our reality and is possibly landing on our Thanksgiving dinner plate too.
Genetic engineering could increase nutritional value of the food, provide immunity against different microorganisms and resistance against pests or extreme weather conditions and enhance biomass production. A lot of plants were already modified and improved, but so far just few of them are approved for human use.
Thanksgiving dinner is prepared using the food native to the New World. In the near future, thanks to rapidly growing industry of genetically modified food, traditional Thanksgiving dinner could easily become genetically modified.
Here are traditional ingredients of Thanksgiving dinner and their genetic improvements:
Milk
2-3% of human babies are allergic to the cow’s milk. Genetic engineering improved milk formula by removing beta-lactoglobulin or BLG, protein that triggers allergic reaction. Cow needs to be genetically modified to produce BLG free milk. It is complicated procedure, but proved to be successful in the experiment conducted in the New Zealand. BLG gene in the cow’s egg was “silenced” (down-regulated) prior to fertilization. Not all attempts to down-regulate the gene were successful and just a small number of embryos survived long gestation period (290 days). Those that survived, grew-up in hypo-allergic milk producing cows. Besides being safe for use in people that are prone to milk allergy, BLG free milk is nutritionally valuable due to higher concentration of casein (another milk protein). Safety tests need to be performed before genetically modified milk become available for worldwide use.
Carrots
Carrots are rich in dietary fibers, minerals and vitamins. So far, they have been genetically modified to resist pests, fungi and to increase herbicide tolerance. With latest genetic improvements, carrots could become important source of another element essential for human health - calcium. Carrots are rich in calcium, but without proper calcium carriers it couldn’t be maximally absorbed. Increased level of proteins that act like carriers would increase calcium bioavailability. Experiments with mice showed that genetically altered carrots provide 50% more calcium than regular carrots. Test with human showed that genetically modified carrots offer 41% more calcium compared to unaltered plants. Calcium and vitamin D are necessary for the proper bone metabolism and adequate bone mineral density. Osteoporosis is famous and widespread disease resulting from lack of calcium in the bones; it is usually treated by various calcium containing pills. Genetically modified plants would simplify the procedure by providing calcium directly from the meal. Calcium “enriched” carrots are still not available.
Golden Rice
Rice is popular and often consumed plant (a staple food for more than 50% of the human population). It is estimated that rice provides 1/5 of the calories intake in the world. Besides high carbohydrate level, rice is rich in minerals and vitamin B group. Genetically modified rice became rich in another element - beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Endosperm (edible part of the rice) is site of beta-carotene production, thanks to newly incorporated psy (daffodil derived) and crtl (Erwinia uredovora derived) genes. Expression of both genes is under control of the endosperm specific promoter. Lycopene is the end product of genetically modified plant but enzymes located in the endosperm transform lycopene to beta-carotene that is responsible for the yellow color of the modified rice. Dose of vitamin A and its bioavailability is high. One cup of golden rice per day satisfies daily needs for vitamin A. A lot of organizations recognized the potential golden rice could have for the world regions that are struggling with vitamin A deficiency and supported financially whole project (Bill Gates and Hellen Keller International organization, for example). It’s estimated that golden rice could become available for worldwide use in 2013.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes can be consumed as a part of the salads, juices, in cooked meals…. With low caloric value and high level of different vitamins, minerals and pigments, regular intake of this plant is a guarantee for good health. Recently, scientists figured out the way to increase the value of tomatoes even more. Genetic engineering result in plant producing small peptide, 6F, that mimic the action of ApoA-1, responsible for lowering of the LDL (low density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol level. Increased LDL level is responsible for atherosclerotic plaques and arterial inflammation, increasing the risk of cardiac attack and myocardial ischemia. Cardiovascular mortality is one of the leading causes of death in the modern society. Scientific community is focused on this issue, and modified tomatoes could be one of the promising solutions. Efficiency of the genetically altered tomatoes is tested on the mice. Animals were kept on the high fat diet until atherosclerotic plaques and arterial inflammation became detectable. Tomatoes producing 6F peptide helped reduce LDL level and level of arterial inflammation; 6F decreased both atherosclerotic plaques and level of lysophosphatidic acid (associated with plaque formation), and increased the level of paraoxonase enzyme responsible for good cholesterol level, with antioxidant activity that could prevent heart attack. Future experiments will show if modified plant could combat arterial disorders in humans.
Related videos
Genetic engineering could increase nutritional value of the food, provide immunity against different microorganisms and resistance against pests or extreme weather conditions and enhance biomass production. A lot of plants were already modified and improved, but so far just few of them are approved for human use.
Thanksgiving dinner is prepared using the food native to the New World. In the near future, thanks to rapidly growing industry of genetically modified food, traditional Thanksgiving dinner could easily become genetically modified.
Here are traditional ingredients of Thanksgiving dinner and their genetic improvements:
Milk
2-3% of human babies are allergic to the cow’s milk. Genetic engineering improved milk formula by removing beta-lactoglobulin or BLG, protein that triggers allergic reaction. Cow needs to be genetically modified to produce BLG free milk. It is complicated procedure, but proved to be successful in the experiment conducted in the New Zealand. BLG gene in the cow’s egg was “silenced” (down-regulated) prior to fertilization. Not all attempts to down-regulate the gene were successful and just a small number of embryos survived long gestation period (290 days). Those that survived, grew-up in hypo-allergic milk producing cows. Besides being safe for use in people that are prone to milk allergy, BLG free milk is nutritionally valuable due to higher concentration of casein (another milk protein). Safety tests need to be performed before genetically modified milk become available for worldwide use.
Carrots
Carrots are rich in dietary fibers, minerals and vitamins. So far, they have been genetically modified to resist pests, fungi and to increase herbicide tolerance. With latest genetic improvements, carrots could become important source of another element essential for human health - calcium. Carrots are rich in calcium, but without proper calcium carriers it couldn’t be maximally absorbed. Increased level of proteins that act like carriers would increase calcium bioavailability. Experiments with mice showed that genetically altered carrots provide 50% more calcium than regular carrots. Test with human showed that genetically modified carrots offer 41% more calcium compared to unaltered plants. Calcium and vitamin D are necessary for the proper bone metabolism and adequate bone mineral density. Osteoporosis is famous and widespread disease resulting from lack of calcium in the bones; it is usually treated by various calcium containing pills. Genetically modified plants would simplify the procedure by providing calcium directly from the meal. Calcium “enriched” carrots are still not available.
Golden Rice
Rice is popular and often consumed plant (a staple food for more than 50% of the human population). It is estimated that rice provides 1/5 of the calories intake in the world. Besides high carbohydrate level, rice is rich in minerals and vitamin B group. Genetically modified rice became rich in another element - beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. Endosperm (edible part of the rice) is site of beta-carotene production, thanks to newly incorporated psy (daffodil derived) and crtl (Erwinia uredovora derived) genes. Expression of both genes is under control of the endosperm specific promoter. Lycopene is the end product of genetically modified plant but enzymes located in the endosperm transform lycopene to beta-carotene that is responsible for the yellow color of the modified rice. Dose of vitamin A and its bioavailability is high. One cup of golden rice per day satisfies daily needs for vitamin A. A lot of organizations recognized the potential golden rice could have for the world regions that are struggling with vitamin A deficiency and supported financially whole project (Bill Gates and Hellen Keller International organization, for example). It’s estimated that golden rice could become available for worldwide use in 2013.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes can be consumed as a part of the salads, juices, in cooked meals…. With low caloric value and high level of different vitamins, minerals and pigments, regular intake of this plant is a guarantee for good health. Recently, scientists figured out the way to increase the value of tomatoes even more. Genetic engineering result in plant producing small peptide, 6F, that mimic the action of ApoA-1, responsible for lowering of the LDL (low density lipoprotein) or “bad” cholesterol level. Increased LDL level is responsible for atherosclerotic plaques and arterial inflammation, increasing the risk of cardiac attack and myocardial ischemia. Cardiovascular mortality is one of the leading causes of death in the modern society. Scientific community is focused on this issue, and modified tomatoes could be one of the promising solutions. Efficiency of the genetically altered tomatoes is tested on the mice. Animals were kept on the high fat diet until atherosclerotic plaques and arterial inflammation became detectable. Tomatoes producing 6F peptide helped reduce LDL level and level of arterial inflammation; 6F decreased both atherosclerotic plaques and level of lysophosphatidic acid (associated with plaque formation), and increased the level of paraoxonase enzyme responsible for good cholesterol level, with antioxidant activity that could prevent heart attack. Future experiments will show if modified plant could combat arterial disorders in humans.
Related videos