45F-9 |
Comparison of selected nutritional and anti-nutritional components of transgenic and non-transgenic papaya fruit (Carica papaya L.) in Jamaica |
M. ROBERTS1, J. C. Jackson2, P. F. Tennant3, D. A. Minott1, and D. Gonsalves4. (1) Dept. of Chemistry, Univ. of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, 7, Jamaica, (2) National Food Technology Research Centre, Private Bag 008, Kanye, Botswana, (3) Dept. of Life Sciences, Univ. of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Kingston, 7, Jamaica, (4) Food Science & Technology, Cornell Univ., New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, 630 W. North St., Geneva, NY 14456-1371 Transgenic papaya fruit transformed with virus coat protein gene, a selectable marker NPTII and a screenable marker GUS, developed for the control of the Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) disease must undergo a rigorous safety and quality assessment prior to acceptance for consumption. PRSV resulted in widespread devastation to Jamaica’s growing papaya industry in the mid 1990’s. This study formed part of a safety data package that was being developed for transgenic papaya fruit in Jamaica. It was designed to compare selected nutritional and anti-nutritional components of papaya from transgenic lines with a control variety currently available on the market. Mature unripe samples of papaya fruit consisting of four transgenic lines and a control were harvested and stored at room temperature over a one-week period. Random samples were assessed for selected macronutrients, micronutrients, anti-nutritional components, and other parameters including total solids, soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, pectin methyl esterase, pulp and peel colour and texture, pulp to peel ratio, pulp to fruit ratio, and peel thickness. ELISA was used to determine the concentration of coat protein present in the pulp and peel of infected and uninfected fruit samples. The results indicated that the trend for changes in the specific parameters during storage was the same for both transgenic lines and the control. However, there were some minor differences observed between the papaya varieties for the parameters analysed. The utilization of transgenic papaya has tremendous implications for the growth of the papaya industry in Jamaica. However, our findings must be compared with other safety assessments to provide the scientific basis to conclude substantial equivalence between certain transgenic lines and control papaya fruits.
Session 45F, Fruit & Vegetable Products: Fruits (Fresh)
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