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Gene editing
Another technology with the potential to boost sustainability in the food sector is CRISPR gene editing
via the cas-9 enzyme. CRISPR-cas9 allows scientists to quickly and cheaply edit existing genes within an
organisms using DNA clusters (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). Unlike genetic
modification, it does not involve splicing genes from one organism into another. 32
One food company that is working with CRISPR-cas9 technology is Israeli start-up Equinom, which attracted
investment from agri-chemical giant BASF in late 2019. Equinom specialises in breeding crops with desirable
properties for food ingredients, including increasing protein levels in soybeans, peas, and other legumes,
thereby lowering their price point as meat alternatives. 33
Another is Michroma, which uses CRISPR-cas9 for the production of novel compound food colourings from
filamentous fungi. The company originally sought to produce a red colour as an alternative to cochineal
from beetles but is now investigating a spectrum of other hues with lower carbon, water, and land-use
footprints than plant-based colourings. 34
And Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, has used CRISPR-cas9 to develop a new
variety of waxy corn, used as a thickener and stabiliser. 35
A second gene editing technique is known as TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nucleases) - that
is, restriction enzymes that can be engineered to remove certain DNA sequences within cells. TALEN is
being used to manipulate crops for better nutrition and reduced allergens. For instance, Calyxt has used it
to turn off the trans fat genes in soy beans, giving them a healthier fat profile. It may well find uses to boost
sustainability in the future. 36
Development teams will be hoping that European consumers will be more receptive to CRSIPR and TALEN
than they have been to genetic modification. That is by no means a given, however, as EU regulators have
decreed that gene editing falls under GM regulations, which require clear labelling on products containing
over 0.9% GMO ingredients. 37
Perfecting Nature?
Dennis Eriksson holds a PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding, is a Researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Chair of COST Action PlantEd (CA18111), and Executive Manager of the Plant Genetic Resources International
Platform (PGRIP).
Dennis Eriksson, Researcher, SLU,
Chair of COST Action PlantEd (CA18111), Executive Manager, Plant Genetic Resources International Platform (PGRIP)
“An improvement in our capacity to develop good crops (that are environmentally friendly, nutritious, and high-yielding) is ONE of many ways we need to work to move our society towards sustainability. People have been breeding crops for at least 10-12 millennia, but until the 20th century it was a very slow and inefficient process and, as a result, the crops were very poor. We must never forget that plant breeding feeds people. Without science-based and efficient plant breeding, so many more people would be starving in our world. The latest technological advancements add to the breeders´ toolbox and allows them to work more efficiently. The breeders could of course limit themselves to only the older technologies, such as cross breeding and radiation-induced mutagenesis, but progress would be slower, and agriculture would keep its dependence on agrochemical inputs such as pesticides. Having said that, I need to repeat that breeding is of course only one of many necessary things we need to work with to achieve a more sustainable agriculture.”
“There is, and has always been, a great symbiosis between fundamental plant research and plant breeding. Research leads to new discoveries and more knowledge about genetic and biochemical pathways in the plant cells – and this knowledge is being applied by breeders who use it to improve the way the crops grow in the field. To name but a few examples, researchers are currently developing gluten-free wheat that is suitable for people with coeliac disease, and purple tomato with high levels of very healthy anthocyanins. Give it a few more years, and a more innovation-friendly atmosphere in the EU, and we may find these on the market.”
