Gene Transfer and Modulation for the Production of Food with Enhanced Quali-Quantitative Values: Potentials, Promises and Achievements

Lucia Martinelli^1*, Malgorzata Karbarz² and Ivana Gribaudo<sup>3

1</sup>Museo delle Scienze – MUSE (Science Museum), Via Calepina 14, IT-38122 Trento, Italy
²University of Rzeszów, Institute of Applied Biotechnology and Basic Sciences and Centre of Applied Biotechnology and Basic Sciences, Werynia 502, PL-36-100 Kolbuszowa, Poland
³Plant Virology Institute – CNR, Grugliasco Unit, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, IT-10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy

Article history:
Received August 16, 2012 
Accepted January 21, 2013

Key words:
biofortification, functional foods, gene silencing, gene suppression, health hazards, milk production, human nutrition, transgenic plants and animals, transpharmers

Summary:                                                                                                                                                                                 
We present an overview of the research and achievements of applications of molecular tools based on gene transfer and gene modulation (gene knock-down and knock-out), aimed at enhancing food production, improving food properties and producing various valuable compounds for human nutrition. Selected cases of genetically manipulated plants (biofortification and allergene silencing) and animals (fish and livestock) are examined. Promises and accomplishments are considered when giving topic examples of the potentials offered by some applications of molecular biology for obtaining goods, among them milk, with enhanced value, and of their impact on society at large.

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