Bureau of Rural Sciences Report on GM Crop future benefits

GM crops - the next generation Thursday, 24 November 2005

Genetically modified (GM) crops that can overcome environmental stresses, resist pests and diseases, deliver greater nutritional benefits or be used to make vaccines, plastics or antibodies are highlighted in a new Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS) report released yesterday.

“This report focuses on the GM crops that could be commercialised within the next 15 years,” Senator Colbeck said. Significant research is underway, for example, into producing crops that will be better able to tolerate acidic or saline soils, drought and temperature extremes, or resist pests and diseases. There’s also research into higher quality, more nutritious crops, or crops that could be processed more easily or cheaply. They could, for example, include Omega-3 fatty acids — healthy oils we normally get from fish."

It is available on-line: www.daff.gov.au/brsbiotech

Update
There is understandable confusion about omega-3 fatty acids.

There are three main types of omega-3 fatty acids. Chemists call them
18 : 3n-3 linolenic (ALA)
20 : 5n-3 eicosapentaenoic (EPA)
22 : 6n-3 docosahexaenoic (DHA)

18 , 20, and 22 refer the fat chain length. n-3 means the same as omega-3. The other number refers to polyunsaturation, and the oils are sometimes called PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids).

Fish oils such as herring oil have ALA, DHA, and EPA. Linseed vegetable oil has ALA but is not a direct dietary source of either EPA or DHA. ALA is essential in the diet, but converted only inefficiently to EPA and DHA in the body, hence there are extra nutritional benefits claimed for fish oils. Numerous special health claims have been made for EPA and ALA and it is wrong to think or imply that a vegetable oil such as linseed duplicates fish oil'sl nutritional properties exactly.

Data on oil fatty profiles are given for instance in:
Br J Nutr. 2004 Apr;91(4):551-65. Effects of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, breed and dietary vitamin E on the fatty acids of lamb muscle, liver and adipose tissue. Demirel G, Wachira AM, Sinclair LA, Wilkinson RG, Wood JD, Enser M.

Phew. No wonder most people hate biochemistry! Nevertheless, the health benefits of DHA are worth some extra googling for those who want to live long healthy lives. My friend Julia look very healthy now she's taking fish oil, even younger too!


SOURCE: Extract from report in the Stock Journal, SA, November 24.