In
a first-of-its-kind advance toward the next generation
of genetically modified foods -- intended to improve
consumers’ health -- researchers in Japan are reporting
that a new transgenic rice designed to fight a common
pollen allergy appears safe in animal studies. Their
report is in the current issue of ACS’
Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry.
Fumio Takaiwa
and colleagues note that the first generation of
genetically-modified crops was designed to help keep crops
weed and insect free. The next generation of transgenic
crops is being developed to directly benefit human health.
This includes veggies and grains that produce higher levels
of nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, or even
medicines and vaccines. Like the first generation of
transgenic foods, however, researchers are anxiously trying
to determine whether foods produced from these
“biopharmaceutical” crops will be safe for humans and the
environment.
The scientists describe development of a transgenic rice
plant that has been genetically- engineered to fight
allergies to Japanese cedar pollen, a growing public health
problem in Japan that affects about 20 percent of the
population. In laboratory studies, the researchers fed a
steamed version of the transgenic rice and a non-transgenic
version to a group of monkeys everyday for 26 weeks. At the
end of the study period, the test animals did not show any
health problems, in an initial demonstration that the
allergy-fighting rice may be safe for consumption, the
researchers say.
More information:
Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, Journal Article: “26-Week Oral
Safety Study in macaques for Transgenic Rice Containing
major Human T-Cell Epitope Peptides from Japanese Cedar
Pollen Allergens”
© PhysOrg.com 2009
