www.ca.uky.edu/BREI

1. Biotechnology is among the most promising new technologies to benefit farmers and consumers. However like every new technology it raises questions on Social/Economic Ethical & Environmental issues. The Biotechnology Research and Education Initiative (BREI) has been formed to address these issues. www.ca.uky.edu/BREI • BREI is a multi-disciplinary team of research, extension and teaching professionals from the College of Agriculture. • Sharing information about agricultural biotechnology through: • Publications • Visual Media • Education Curriculum • Web-based Information • In-service Training High Oleic soybeans Enhanced Soybean Quality • Conventional soy oil requires hydrogenation to increase its stability for many food uses. This results in formation of trans-fatty acids, which have known coronary health risks. • Trans-fats have been associated with coronary health risks, FDA has mandated the labeling of foods containing these fats. • Pioneer researchers developed a high oleic soybean oil trait using biotechnology • tools. • The resulting soybean oil has one of the highest oleic contents among oilseed crops, and lower total saturated fats than conventional soybeans. • Application testing has shown that high oleic soybean oil can replace regular canola, soy, and partially hydrogenated canola and soy oils in edible applications where increased stability is required. The oil also has industrial uses. Steve Schnebly (Pioneer/DuPont, USA.) Farmers have been using crops developed with biotechnology for more than ten years. Insect and herbicide resistant corn and soybean are common on farms in the U.S. However, biotechnology also holds the promise of producing crops which are potentially more nutritious and/or useful. Scientists in industry and academia have been developing soybeans with modified oil contents that could reduce consumption of harmful trans-fats. Photo by Chad Lee Photo by Matt Barton

2. How Did They Do That? Biotechnology tools can be used to produce foods that are healthier, more nutritious and still taste great To develop high oleate soybean scientists changed two genes in the soybean. • The inserted a soybean denaturase gene back into soybean in a way to greatly reduce conversion of monounsaturated fatty acid (oleic acid) into unstable fatty acids. • They put a known soybean herbicide resistance gene into the soybean for selection of the desired high oleate trait. • Only soybean genes/DNA were used • No “foreign” DNA was inserted into soybean Think About It Would high oleate soybean produced in this way be labeled as “Genetically Modified” or GMO?? If this process could be achieved by mutagenesis, would the mutant plants be labeled as GMO? • Soybean fatty acids are built in a series of steps • To produce high oleate soybean, scientist developed a way to turn-off one of these steps • This step is specific to the formation of oil in the soybean seed • The result is soybean with an oil content that that is more favorable for many uses than conventional soybean oil Δ9 Desaturase Δ12 Desaturase • Higher level of healthful monounsaturated fatty acids than olive oil • No need for hydrogenation • Solves the trans-fats problem