UPDATE: 27 August -
Coming soon, the wheat revolution: Scientists DNA breakthrough paves the way for cheaper bread
By Paul Bentley
27th August 2010
A vital crop: The breakthrough means new super strains of wheat could be created, with growers about to filter poor quality seeds
British scientists have cracked the genetic code for wheat – paving the way for a new breed of crops resistant to disease.
The experts will today share the map of the wheat genome online for free, allowing growers around the world to develop super strains of the crop.
The development could also lead to massively increased production – and in turn lower bread prices.
But last night there were fears the breakthrough could open the doors to genetically modified 'Frankenstein foods' as scientists will now be able to manipulate the wheat DNA.
The mapped genome will also allow growers to identify weaknesses, filtering out poor quality seeds.
It is hoped new breeds of crops will be producing higher wheat yields in as little as five years' time.
This could mean a significant reduction in the price of bread and greater food security in the developing world.
It is estimated that world food production will have to increase by 50 per cent over the next 40 years to feed the rising population.
Wheat yield is also of particular concern this summer because of the failure of the harvest in Russia.
Professor Neil Hall, a genome scientist at Liverpool University – one of three research centres to carry out the study – said the breakthrough would increase wheat production dramatically.
'A process that now takes five or six years will take one or two years,' he said.
'It is quite possible that in five years' time a loaf of bread will be cheaper because of this.'
Professor Keith Edwards, from Bristol University, said the findings were highly significant.
'In a short space of time we have delivered most of the sequences necessary for plant breeders to identify genetic differences in wheat,' he said.
Cheaper: The price of bread could fall if the new wheat leads to increased production, while also improving food security in the third world
'The public release of the data will dramatically increase the efficiency of breeding new crop varieties.'
Over the past decade wheat yields have hit a plateau, failing to keep up with increased demand, largely because of constantly evolving diseases.
Professor Hall said: 'It is estimated that in Europe, productivity needs to double to keep pace with demand and to maintain stable prices.
'We need to start breeding new varieties of wheat that will be important in five or ten years' time.'
But Professor Hall warned that 'nature may not be enough' and that 'genetic modification will also be necessary to boost yields'.
The decoding of the wheat genome was completed in less than a year by the British scientists.
The research project cost £1.8million and was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
'Sequencing the human genome took 15 years . . . but with huge advances in DNA technology, the wheat genome took only a year,' Professor Hall said.
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I am not a big fan of cold cereal. Mostly I dislike the fact that it is about pure carb, and not the slow-digesting kind. These days you have to watch out for GMO ingredients, additives, colorings, and so many more unneeded components. Even worse has been the longtime usage in the majority of these products of HFCS and even toxic artificial sweeteners.
What is even worse is the application of the sugaring of alleged "natural" products sold in your health store or that section in your supermarket.
Here's a story that warmed my belly this morning; obviously someone else shares my concerns.
Kashi is a high end food brand, with an impressive number of cereals in its lineup. It was founded in 1984 in Southern California and acquired by Kellogg’s in 2000. The company advertises their products as “natural”, containing a blend of seven whole grains and sesame. There is a strong emphasis on high protein and fiber content.So is Kashi a good start to the day? We decided to check out an exemplar – Kashi GoLean Crunch…
Make sure you start label reading, it is a good habit to develop if you want healthy food for you, your kids, or your family.
And don't overlook the use of soy and canola! Problematic even is alleged to be "organic".
1:28 PM
ari sari
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