Bread and Biscuits to Become Safer Thanks to New Wheat

In the near future, bread and biscuits may become healthier thanks to groundbreaking advancements by British scientists in wheat breeding. Researchers from Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire have successfully developed a wheat variety that significantly reduces acrylamide levels, a substance linked to increased cancer risk.

Over the past two years, scientists conducted experiments with genetically edited wheat lines and found that precise gene editing could substantially lower the content of free asparagine, an amino acid that forms acrylamide during cooking. Their results showed that editing the gene responsible for asparagine accumulation in the grain led to a 59% reduction in its content, while a line with double intervention achieved a remarkable 93% reduction. This discovery is significant as the changes did not affect yield, making this technology particularly promising for the agricultural market.

The researchers achieved impressive results in the finished products. In bread and biscuits made from the new wheat, the acrylamide levels were significantly lower, with some samples of toasted bread showing concentrations that did not even reach the laboratory detection threshold. This indicates that the new wheat variety could greatly enhance food safety.

In comparison, the team also tested traditional breeding methods that involve chemical treatments to induce mutations. This approach reduced free asparagine levels by approximately half but resulted in nearly a quarter decrease in yield. The scientists attribute this to random changes in other parts of the genome that could negatively impact selection outcomes.

Dr. Navneet Kaur, the lead researcher on the project, noted that their work demonstrates how precise genome editing can address significant challenges related to food safety. This technology opens up new possibilities for making beneficial changes to agricultural crops without unnecessary losses in production.

The development of the new wheat variety is particularly relevant in light of increasing European regulations on acrylamide levels in food products. The European Union has already established maximum limits, which are set to become even stricter in the near future, directly affecting bread producers who export their products.

Following Brexit, the United Kingdom has gained more freedom in regulating genetically edited crops. The Genetic Technology Act, passed in 2023, has simplified the market introduction of such varieties, positioning the country as a key player in precision breeding research. However, further implementation of this technology may depend on new agreements between London and Brussels under the sanitary and phytosanitary agreement. If EU rules extend to British products without exceptions, the commercialization of such varieties may slow down.

Professor Nigel Halford, the head of the research, believes that the new wheat could become an important tool for the food industry. Producers will be able to meet enhanced safety standards without significant cost increases and without compromising quality. This, in turn, means less potential exposure to hazardous acrylamide in everyday foods, which is a crucial aspect for consumer health.

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