Assessing the Potential Public Health Impacts of Next Generation Foods Derived from Recombinant DNA Technology: A Case Study of Omega-3 Fatty Acids Enhanced Vegetable Oils

Abstract

We assessed the potential public health impacts of foods derived from recombinant DNA technology that have been modified to have improved nutrient profiles using omega-3-enhanced vegetable oils as an example. Other examples of crops in development include canola plants with increased vitamin C and rice with higher levels of beta-carotene. The change in consumption of omega-3 fatty acids if vegetable oils were replaced with stearidonic acid-enhanced versions was estimated. The results showed that stearidonic acid and gamma-linolenic acid consumption would increase by 5.43 g/d for males and 4.14 g/d for females. The increase in stearidonic acid in eicosapentaenoic acid equivalents was 1.63 g/d for males and 1.24 g/d for females.

Key Words:

• fatty acids
• omega-3
• risk assessment
• nutrition assessment
• soybean oil
• corn oil
• biotechnology
• agriculture
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• CDC
• National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
• NHANES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was supported by a grant from the Council for Biotechnology Information. Gayle L. Hein provided helpful editorial assistance. The authors were affiliated with the University of Maryland when this research was conducted. Richard A. Forshee is currently affiliated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Maureen L. Storey is currently affiliated with the American Beverage Association. Patricia A. Anderson is currently a consultant for the American Beverage Association. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and may not represent the views of any organizations with which they are affiliated.