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M. M. NEWELL-MCGLOUGHLIN, Biotechnology Research & Education Program/Life Sciences Informatics Program, Univ. of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave., 355 Briggs Hall, Davis, CA 95616-8689 Agricultural biotechnology offers efficient and cost-effective means to produce a diverse array of novel, value-added products and tools. It has the potential to increase food, feed and fiber production and quality, reduce the dependency of agriculture on chemicals, alleviate biotic and abiotic stress and lower the cost of raw materials, all in an environmentally sustainable manner. The first generation of such crops focused largely on input agronomic traits, the next generation will focus more on value added output traits. This paper will cover one aspect of these value-added niche markets at the interface of agriculture and medicine namely the improvement of the nutritional quality of crop plants. Scientific evidence is accumulating to support the role of phytochemicals and functional foods (any modified food or food ingredient that may provide a health benefit beyond the traditional nutrients it contains) in the prevention and/or treatment of at least four of the leading causes of death in the USA: cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension. From a health perspective, plant components of dietary interest can broadly be divided into three main categories macronutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids [oils], and fiber), micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals) and anti-nutrients (allergens, toxins and substances such as phytate that limit bioavailability of nutrients). Both traditional plant breeding and biotechnology techniques are needed to produce plants carrying the desired quality traits. Developing plants with improved quality traits involves overcoming a variety of technical challenges inherent to metabolic engineering programs. Continuing improvements in molecular and genomic technologies are contributing to the acceleration of such product development. These new products and new approaches on the horizon may require a reassessment of appropriate criteria to manage risk while insuring that the development of innovative technologies and processes is encouraged to provide value-added commodities for the consumer.
Session 26, The safety and nutrional assessment of nutrionally improved crops
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