The Superior Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) has developed a genetically modified wheat bread that is potentially suitable for most celiacs and other gluten intolerances.
The results of the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, show that the new type of bread is made using wheat flour of very low content of gliadin, gluten proteins responsible for celiac disease, obtained by treatment of genetic modification, according to CSIC explained in a note.
And, as the CSIC explains, the pathologies associated with gluten intolerance have increased in recent years and affect about 7% of the world population.
Celiac disease is the best known of these intolerances and it is an autoimmune disorder which is responsible for a portion of the gluten of wheat, barley and rye. Currently the only effective treatment available is a gluten-free diet for life, complicated to follow and with negative effects on intestinal health.
"While changing these wheat varieties representing a reduction of its proteins, its nutritional properties are similar to those of common wheat", said the CSIC researcher, Francisco Barro, from the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture.
Barro has also indicated that "transgenic versions offset the deficit of gliadin, increasing its content in other proteins present in the grain, not related to celiac disease, and rich in lysine, an essential amino acid for humans and it must be included in the diet, because the body does not naturally generates”.
The bread developed in this study was compared to normal bread wheat flour and rice flour bread, common ingredient in gluten-free diet.
During the analysis, which took into account the organoleptic, nutritional and immunotoxic properties, the researchers observed that breads made with flour without gliadin showed breadmaking quality characteristics similar to those of normal flour.
On the other hand, in the sensory analysis, the tasters showed a preference for bread versus bread gliadin rice flour and equated to bread made of traditional wheat flour.
"Our results provide a great opportunity to improve the quality of life of millions of people worldwide who suffer from a gluten intolerance. During 2014 our goal is to conduct a clinical trial, the first of its kind in the world, with celiac patients", Barro says.
In addition to the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, also participated in the research the Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology of the CSIC and the University of Seville.
I hope this project ends successfully, to help as many people worldwide.
Till soon, kind regards,
Luis.
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