A new research program to create ricin-free castor plants was announced today by Arcadia Biosciences, a privately held agricultural biotechnology company, in conjunction with Anawah, Inc. (formerly Tilligen, Inc.). This research program will identify and turn-off the genes in castor plants that produce ricin, a highly toxic protein for which there is no known antidote.

Castor seed is the source of castor oil, a unique non-toxic ingredient used in the production of nylon, paints, lubricants, plastics and cosmetics. As castor seed is processed to make oil, the ricin remains in the protein meal by-product, not in the oil. Because it is toxic, the meal has no value and must be destroyed or detoxified.

Ricin is classified as a Class B bioterrorism agent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), according to George Saperstein, DVM, chairman of the Department of Environmental and Population Health at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine in North Grafton, Mass. Saperstein believes ricin received this classification "because very low doses are extremely toxic and the toxin can be aerosolized."

"There is evidence that the Iraqi government grew large quantities of castor plants next to one of their biological weapons laboratories," stated Jonathan Tucker, a chemical and biological weapons expert at the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. "I doubt they were growing the castor plants for agricultural purposes. They wanted to harvest the beans to extract ricin. We also know that Iran has imported large quantities of castor beans."

On two occasions, right wing extremists in the U.S. have attempted to use ricin as a bioterrorism weapon, which is quite easy to do, according to Tucker. Carpet cleaners with a little knowledge about solvents who were members of the Minnesota Patriots Council were able to extract ricin from castor beans and conspired to use the poison to assassinate local and federal law enforcement officials. Additionally, the Bulgarian Secret Service used ricin to assassinate a dissident in London and attempted another assassination in Paris.

Worldwide demand for castor oil is 1 billion pounds annually, with an economic value in excess of $500 million. Most of the world’s supply is produced in India, China and Brazil. The U.S. consumes more than 10 percent of world castor oil production, yet produces very little because of serious safety concerns. The harvesting and processing of castor seed and meal results in numerous accidental deaths each year.

Arcadia Biosciences’ (Arcadia) project partner is Anawah, Inc., of Seattle, Washington. Anawah’s proprietary technology enables the development and rapid screening of desirable mutations in genes responsible for ricin production.

"Ricin-free castor varieties address a significant national security issue," said Roy Hodges, Arcadia’s president and CEO. "In addition, these plants will create considerable new economic opportunity for farmers and processors in the U.S. and elsewhere, as meal from ricin-free castor could be utilized as a protein source for animal feeds, increasing the value of the crop"

Ken Hunt, president & CEO of Anawah, Inc., said, "Ricin-free castor has long been an unrealized objective of the oilseed industry. Our technology will enable us to target all genes responsible for ricin production and effectively eliminate expression of ricin in castor seeds".

Arcadia Biosciences, based in Phoenix, Arizona, is an agricultural biotechnology company that develops and acquires technologies to make agriculture more economically and environmentally sustainable. Arcadia is a wholly owned subsidiary of Exeter Life Sciences, Inc., a multidisciplinary company with operating units addressing market opportunities in human, animal and plant health.