Omega-3s also in meat thanks to transgenic beef

Transgenic beef: omega-3s, as of now, even in meat!

Meat could also become a source of omega 3, thanks to experimentation by a group of scientists who bred cattle containing high concentrations of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). With the use of biotechnology, it was then possible to select animals with high nutritional value from a fatty acid perspective.

The study was carried out by a team of researchers from Northwest A&F University in Xianyang and the National Cattle Improvement Center in Yangling, China, and was published in the journal Biotechnology Letters.

Western diets: rich in omega-6 and poor in omega-3

The market for omega-3 supplements has grown rapidly in recent years; ever since numerous scientific researches have demonstrated the health benefits of the long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA, found mainly in fish. Levels of these fatty acids in the diet, especially the Western diet based on a large consumption of meat and fats, have decreased over the years, while short-chain omega-6 fatty acids, found mainly in vegetable oils, have increased. This imbalance can lead to health problems including increased blood pressure.

A gene changes the ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3

The team of scientists, led by Professor Gong Cheng, introduced a gene, known as FAT1, into cattle cells through a complicated gene cloning mechanism. The gene, which was isolated from a common type of nematode worm, is responsible for the production of desaturase enzymes that are involved in the conversion of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. 

Analyses conducted on the 14 calves that correctly received the FAT1 gene revealed that this experiment increased omega-3 levels in their tissues by more than five times. Specifically, fatty acid composition analyses showed that the presence of the FAT1 gene increased the content of ALA (alpha linoleic acid), EPA and DHA in the cattle, and decreased the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 by more than 80 percent (from 5.33: 1 to 0.95: 1), compared with that of the non-genetically modified calves.

Omega-3-rich meat: new studies will be needed 

The team pointed out that while many research groups are experimenting with how to increase omega-3 levels in farmed fish by creating meals rich in plant sources of EPA, the new study shows that good levels of omega-3 can be produced directly in beef. 

Other experiments using FAT1-like genes, however, have already been carried out on pigs, dairy cattle and sheep by international research groups. In any case, as Chinese scientists themselves have stated, there is still a long way to go to improve the scientific and breeding techniques needed to make beef a source of omega-3 for human nutrition. 

 Source: Gong Cheng, Changzhen Fu, et al "Production of transgenic beef cattle rich in n-3 PUFAs by somatic cell nuclear transfer" Biotechnology Letters. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s10529-015-1827-z