Imagine a future where crops can withstand any challenge, from relentless pests and disease to changing and challenging climates, while providing precise nutritional benefits tailored to individual health needs and overcoming geographical limitations.
From improving tomatoes to sustaining bananas, this future is becoming a reality due to the groundbreaking science of genome editing and its potential to enhance the nutritional content of food crops, boosting their levels of essential vitamins and minerals.
According to the lead for plant biotechnology from CropLife SA, Chantel Arendse, present-day food crops are the outcome of many years of traditional plant breeding, generating improved varieties that are well adapted, higher yielding, better tasting, and more resistant to diseases and pests.
Recent advancements have led to the development of genome-editing tools. Arendse describes it as a “new group of plant breeding tools that allow scientists and breeders to make small, precise changes within the plant’s own DNA”.
Changes for the better
“These modern tools work like a pair of molecular scissors, making cuts in a plant’s DNA at targeted sites that allow deletions, edits, or additions to be made to the plant’s genome so that breeders can more rapidly and predictably achieve the desired plant characteristics in new varieties,” she says.
“While there are several different tools making up the genome-editing toolbox, the most well-known amongst them is CRISPR Cas, a naturally occurring system found in bacteria to fight off viral infections.”
She highlights that the genetic changes introduced through genome editing are no different from those achieved through traditional breeding methods. However, the key difference lies in the speed and efficiency of genome-editing tools.
Arendse further underscores the critical importance of genome editing in addressing global food security challenges.
She cites alarming statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) 2022 report, highlighting that “approximately 735 million people worldwide experience acute food shortages, and a further 3.1 billion people are unable to afford a healthy diet”. By 2030, the FAO estimates that nearly 600 million people will suffer from chronic undernourishment.
Finding lasting solutions for food security
“These challenges require faster responses and more effective solutions that cannot be addressed by traditional agricultural methods alone,” explains Arendse.
Genome editing, she says, can accelerate the breeding cycle of important staple crops like rice, wheat, and maize. This leads to improvements in crops that are higher yielding, adapted to marginal conditions, nutritionally enhanced, and resilient to adverse climates.
“As genome-editing technologies become more accessible and cost-effective, they hold significant promise for consumers, offering improved nutrition, enhanced food safety, and reduced food waste.”
Chantel Arendse
She adds, “From farm to fork, many factors influence the nutrient content of our foods, including the health of the soil, agricultural practices, food processing methods, and even how we cook or prepare our food.”
How genome editing enhances nutritional content and quality in food:
- In rice and wheat, ongoing research is exploring gene editing to increase the amylose content which improves the overall quality and texture of these foods during processing.
- In potatoes, genome editing technologies are being used to target specific genes to develop varieties with lower acrylamide levels to reduce potential health risks.
- The technology is also being used to increase the lycopene content in wild tomato varieties, improving the antioxidant properties of tomatoes for better human health.
- Biofortification of crops using CRISPR Cas gene-editing tools for vitamin A enrichment in several crops, including rice, bananas, tomatoes and melon fruits.
- Other micronutrients targeted for biofortification via genome editing technologies include iron and zinc enrichment in wheat.
Crops already available
Arendse lists examples of genome-edited crops that are already commercially available:
- Premium-quality high-oleic soybean oil is available for consumers in the US market.
- The start-up company Pairwise released a mustard green salad leaf called Conscious Greens, which was genome-edited to be better tasting (less bitter) and more nutritious, with higher levels of vitamins C, E, B6, and minerals like calcium and magnesium.
- Sanatech Seed used CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology to develop a GABA-enriched tomato containing higher levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), believed to aid relaxation and lower blood pressure. These heart-healthy tomatoes are commercially available in Japan.
- Tropic Biosciences developed a non-browning banana using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system. This banana reduces the browning rate while ripening, which could significantly reduce food waste and CO2 emissions.
Busting misconceptions
Arendse also addresses common misconceptions about genome-edited foods, particularly those marketed for enhanced nutritional value.
“It’s important to understand that genome-edited technologies are grounded in the same tried and tested principles of traditional plant breeding methods for the development of new and improved crop varieties.”
She emphasises that genome editing is an extension of the plant breeding continuum, using a more modern set of tools to achieve the same outcomes in a more targeted, efficient, and accelerated manner.
“Instead of a marathon of breeding cycles, we can develop a diversity of nutritious crops in a shorter time without compromising on safety for human consumption.
“As farmers face the daunting task of having to consistently increase yields in the face of uncertain and challenging growing conditions, we cannot afford to ignore the contributions that all plant breeding technologies bring to help us meet our global food security targets,” she adds.
Thus, by harnessing the innovation potential of genome editing, we can get the most out of the potential benefits of the science to transform the future of food, nutrition, and human health.
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