Biotech Updates

Engineered ‘Golden’ Potatoes Give More Beta-Carotene

May 4, 2007

Every year 500,000 children go blind because of lack of Vitamin A. Researchers from Italy and Germany have conducted a study that resulted to what they call ‘golden’ potatoes. These engineered potatoes can provide half of the recommended vitamin intake of Vitamin A.

The researchers used the mini-pathway of bacterial origin technique which can increase the beta-carotene content of potato by 3600 fold. The genes, phytoene synthase (CrtB), phytoene desaturase (CrtI), and lycopene beta-cyclase (CrtY) from the bacteria Erwinia, were inserted into ‘golden’ potatoes. Gainfranco Diretto, the lead author, said that the ‘golden’ potatoes have the highest carotenoid and beta-carotene content for biofortified potato.

To read more, visit: http://nutraingredients.com/news/pirntNewsBis.asp?id=76099