Biotechnology to Improve Shelf Life and Quality Traits of Foods - Food Shelf Life Stability: Chemical, Biochemical, and Microbiological Changes - page 319

TABLE 10.2
Biotechnological Procedures Commercially Available to Improve Shelf Life
and Quality Traits of Foods

Product Technology Applied Benefit Ref.

Broccoli Insertion of a non-plant gene to

control ethylene production

Slow ripening so the crop stays green
longer

3, 4

Canola oil
(rapeseed)

A combination of classical breeding
and RFLP screening

Composition control of erucic acid 4, 5

Genetically engineered with 12:0-
acyl-carrier protein (ACP)
thioesterase from undomesticated
California bay

High laurate and stearate composition 6, 7

Genetically engineered High content of hydrogenated oil for

margarine

6

Classical breeding, microspore
(anther) culture, and RFLP
screening

High temperature frying oil, low in
saturated fat (high oleic, low
palmitic)

6

Canola and
other oils

Insertion of gene for stearoyl ACP
desaturate

Shift in fat composition toward more
unsaturation

8, 9

Chicory Insertion of antisense gene Increased availability of fructans

which are normally converted to
fructose immediately after harvest

10

Coffee Gene insertion into Coffea arabica

(proprietary)

Better flavor, better yields, better pest
resistance, lower caffeine

8, 11

“Euromelon” Insertion of antisense gene

(pMEL1) which encodes the final
enzyme for ethylene synthesis

Extended shelf life; high quality fruit,
ripened on demand

8, 11

Oilseed rape Insertion of leuenkephalin sequence

into the 2S albumin protein gene
of Arabidopsis thaliana

Pharmaceutical applications 12

Potato Introduction of a starch production

gene from E. coli

The genetically altered potatoes will
have 30-60% higher starch and
lower moisture; they will absorb less
fat on frying; chips with less fat

10

Inserted antisense gene which
blocks ADP-glucose
pyrophosphorylase

Sucrose is not converted to starch;
sweetness enhancement

10

Genetically engineered Synthesis of human serum albumin 12

Inserted antisense RNA of starch
synthase

Potato starches devoid of amylose and
containing only amylopectin

12

Raspberries Recombinant ethylene control Increase the shipping radius 4

Soybean Two soybean lines with distinctive

genes were crossed

Low palmitic acid content (3.5% vs.
normal soy oil at 10%)

13

Brazil nut gene insertion to enrich
methionine

Higher methionine so protein is
complete for chicken feed or for
Third World countries

6, 12,
14, 15