A Biofortification Hub Proof of Concept (PoC) project has helped to produce tomatoes accumulating omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).
Prof. Johnathan Napier at Rothamsted Research and Dr. Eugenio Butelli at the John Innes Centre worked with Norfolk Plant Sciences to improve the nutritional value of tomatoes.
The aim of this project funded by the Biofortification Hub was to create an entirely novel source of healthy omega-3 long chain PUFAs, by using genetic modification to engineer tomatoes so that they accumulate EPA and DHA in their fruit. This would provide a new and sustainable source of ‘fish oils’ that is not dependent on marine extraction and could provide a dietary source of EPA and DHA for people who do not eat animal products.
Tomatoes are widely consumed, with or without cooking or processing, and nutritionally enhanced tomatoes represent an excellent conduit for improved diet.
Although this project was rather modest in scale, it made very significant progress and resulted in the creation of multiple tomato lines that accumulate EPA in either the fruit or seeds. Lipidomic and genomic analyses of our enhanced tomatoes are ongoing, but it is clear that tomato fruit is an excellent vehicle for the accumulation of EPA, with the best lines containing ~8% of total fatty acids as omega-3.
“It has been a delight to develop this scientific expertise with the Rothamsted team. The surprising results that tomatoes can accumulate significant levels on omega-3 PUFAs opens the door to horticultural crops suitable for providing healthy nutrients to consumers adopting heathier, more sustainable, plant-based diets” commented Prof. Cathie Martin at the John Innes Centre.
“Working on the O3TOM project was an exciting opportunity to build new collaborations while contributing to research with real-world impact. The experience has definitely reshaped how I view the significance of my scientific work” said Dr Susana Silvestre (Rothamsted Research).
Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have proven health benefits, with dietary consumption reducing the risk of Cardio Vascular Disease, playing roles in brain and ocular function, also as precursors for anti-inflammatory mediators such as resolvins. Unfortunately, vertebrates have almost no capacity to synthesise EPA+DHA and therefore dietary intake is essential. Equally, the dominant current source of EPA+DHA is from fish oils, by harvest from the oceans. These global stocks are at the maximum level of sustainable production, but the ever-growing human population puts increased pressure on efforts to operate within planetary boundaries. One alternative was to seek new sources of EPA+DHA in tomato fruits by combining the experience of the Rothamsted Research and John Innes Centre teams to bring forward a new prototype for the efficient delivery of omega-3 fish oils into the human diet.
“We are very excited by the potential of our O3-tomatoes and are looking at different options to take the work forward. In this first iteration we focussed on demonstrating that tomato fruit could serve as an efficient host for the accumulation of EPA. In the next iterations, we are boosting the levels of omega-3 and also engineering the accumulation of DHA. The results from this project are being patented and will subsequently be published” commented Prof. Johnathan Napier (Rothamsted Research).
