Gene-Edited High-Fiber Wheat Could Hit the Market by 2020

The inaugural harvest of the first gene-edited high-fiber wheat has been completed, as reported by its developer, Calyxt. The high-fiber wheat is the seventh Calyxt product that has been declared as non-regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including powdery mildew-resistant wheat, high-oleic soybeans, high-oleic/low-linoleic soybeans, improved quality alfalfa, cold storable potatoes and reduced browning potatoes.

"Consumer demand for high-fiber products has never been higher, as fiber is essential for healthy digestion, with the potential to decrease the risk of food-related chronic diseases like coronary heart disease and diabetes. Most adults only consume about half of the recommended amount of fiber in their diet but, with this latest advancement, we're one step closer to developing a product with up to three times more dietary fiber than standard white flour, resulting in a healthier alternative for consumers – with the same great taste that they love," Calyxt CEO Jim Blome explained.

The high-fiber wheat was developed by using Calyxt's proprietary gene-editing technology, TALEN®, to produce a small and precise modification in the wheat genome, which is almost six times larger than the human genome. It is projected that the gene-edited wheat will be commercially available by 2020/2021.

Read the news release from Calyxt.