Scientists have developed a geneti-cally modified plant that produces all the healthy fats found in oily fish.
The weedy type of cress was changed to make it rich in polyunsaturated fats known as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. The fats are believed to help reduce heart disease and, according to some scientists, improve brain function and mood.
Baoxiu Qi and Colin Lazarus, plant biologists at Bristol University, developed it as an alternative source of the fats.
Oily fish are especially rich in omega-3; omega-6 is found in certain grains and poultry.
The cress was modified with genes taken from three different micro-organisms and its production of the fats raises hopes that plants will one day be a viable al-ternative source. "The next step is to add the same set of genes to leafy salad vegetables such as spinach and lettuce," Lazarus said.
The use of modified plants would take the pressure off severely depleted fish stocks.
The potential benefits do not end there, according to the biologists. Oils made from the plants are also likely to be more pure than many fish oil supplements. People with diets lacking in the fats from fish, such as vegans, may stand to benefit.
"The problem is that the people most likely to benefit from eating these plants are the most unlikely to go near them because they are genetically modified," Lazarus said.
Fish and chicken are among the primary sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but other foods contain them, albeit in smaller quantities. Walnuts, flax seed oil and hemp all contain omega-3 while olive oil and other vegetable oils are rich in omega-6 fatty acids.
Liz O'Neill of the Vegetarian Society was not convinced that vegetarians would welcome the development.
"We're not crying out for it. If you make sure you eat the right foods, you can already get all the omega-3 and omega-6 oils you need. There are issues with GM and it's certainly not popular among our members," she said.
The Vegan Society was also sceptical. "At the end of the day, this is not about human good, it's about making a profit," a spokesman said.
According to Lazarus, the plants could be turned into animal feed and used in the battle against global warming.
Cows and other ruminants belch out vast quantities of methane, which accelerates warming. "If you feed cattle and sheep these polyunsaturated fats, they expel much less methane," Lazarus said.
The work was funded by the German crop biotechnology company BASF.
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