Recent developments of note include the following:
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is providing $36.8 million in grants to research projects focused on improving nutrition and health through biotech-improved bananas, cassava, rice and sorghum.
- Kellogg announced it will use low-linolenic soybean oil to reduce or eliminate trans fats in several of its products. Though the soybeans were produced through conventional breeding techniques, they do contain biotech traits and are the first offerings in the next generation of biotech products with consumer benefits.
- Australian researchers developed a biotech-improved cress that contains healthful omega-3 oils in its seeds. Omega-3 oils are known to help reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Research into edible vaccines continued with the development of a biotech potato that carries the hepatitis B vaccine, and a biotech tomato containing a SARS vaccine. Initial
Jewel and her clone Diamond, winners at the World Dairy Expo.
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tests in human subjects have shown that the biotech potato confers immunity against hepatitis B. Japanese scientists also announced the development of an edible vaccine in biotech rice that prevents the immune response that triggers allergies related to hay fever.
| The applications today’s biotech companies are pursuing are decidedly novel: bringing whole-cell manufacturing and enzymatic chemistry to conventional manufacturing and conducting “directed evolution” to generate novel compounds. |
- Japanese researchers developed a biotech soybean that contains a substance to promote hair growth and help prevent hair loss caused by chemotherapy. An anti-hypertensive substance derived from egg whites was incorporated into the soybean; the substance expands blood vessels and promotes circulation and hair growth.
The last 18 months also have brought advances in animal biotechnology research that will lead to improved animal health, more nutritious and safer food products from animals, advances in human health and conservation of both the environment and endangered species. They include the following:
- In Argentina, cows were improved with biotechnology to produce human growth hormone in their milk. Scientists estimate that just 15 of these Jersey cows could produce enough human growth hormone to meet the current world demand
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