Omega-3 also in meat thanks to transgenic beef
Transgenic Beef: Omega-3 Now Also in Meat!
Meat could also become a source of omega-3, thanks to an experiment by a group of scientists who raised cattle containing high concentrations of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Using biotechnology, it was possible to select animals with high nutritional value from the fatty acid perspective.
The study was conducted by researchers from Northwest A&F University in Xianyang and the National Beef Improvement Center in Yangling (China), and was published in the journal Biotechnology Letters.
Western Diets: High in Omega-6 and Low in Omega-3
The omega-3 supplement market has rapidly grown in recent years, following numerous scientific studies demonstrating the health benefits of long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA, primarily found in fish. The levels of these fatty acids in the diet, especially in Western diets characterized by high meat and fat consumption, have decreased over the years, while shorter-chain omega-6 fatty acids, mainly present in vegetable oils, have increased. This imbalance can lead to health problems including increased blood pressure.
A Gene Modifies the Omega-6 to Omega-3 Ratio
The team of scientists, led by Professor Gong Cheng, introduced a gene known as FAT1 into livestock cells through a complex gene cloning mechanism. The gene, isolated from a common type of nematode worm, is responsible for producing desaturase enzymes involved in converting omega-6 fatty acids into omega-3 fatty acids.
Analyses on the 14 calves that successfully received the FAT1 gene revealed that this experiment increased omega-3 levels in their tissues by more than five times. Specifically, fatty acid composition analyses showed that the presence of the FAT1 gene increased ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), EPA, and DHA content in the cattle, and reduced the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio by over 80% (from 5.33:1 to 0.95:1) compared to non-genetically modified calves.
Omega-3 Rich Meat: Further Studies Needed
The team emphasized that while many research groups are experimenting with increasing omega-3 levels in farmed fish by creating feeds rich in plant sources of EPA, the new study shows that good omega-3 levels can be produced directly in beef meat.
Other experiments using genes similar to FAT1 have already been carried out on pigs, dairy cattle, and sheep by international research groups. Nevertheless, as the Chinese scientists themselves have stated, much work remains to improve the scientific and breeding techniques necessary to make beef a source of omega-3 for human nutrition.
Source: Gong Cheng, Changzhen Fu, et al. “Production of transgenic beef cattle rich in n-3 PUFAs by somatic cell nuclear transfer” Biotechnology Letters. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s10529-015-1827-z
