GM Plant Derived Omega-3 Successfully Cultivated on Commercial Scale

Commercial production of omega-3 supplements sourced from genetically modified plants is the subject of research that could ease the pressure on traditional marine-derived supplies of fish oils, reports NutraIngredients.com on August 20.

Nature Scientific Reports draws attention to genetically modified (GM) Camelina sativa and its role in producing the omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and the even longer chain DHA (docosahexaenoic acid).  The team from Rothamsted Research Institution in the UK succeeded in growing this transgenic plant in the field on a commercial scale, identifying its potential for even greater oil storage within the plant’s seeds.  Camelina is one of Europe’s oldest oil seed crops.

The latest research raises longstanding issues of fish oil quality and supply. EPA and DHA have long been associated in countering the global rise in cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders.  However, concerns over contamination of marine-derived fish oils such as heavy metals, dioxins and polichorinated biphenyls (PCBs), have taken the shine off their health benefits.  In addition, growing demand for the fatty acids, especially from the aquaculture sector has so pressured supplies that farmed fish now contain less of these nutrients than a decade ago.