First ever gene-edited food makes it to restaurants

Gene-editing is a rising technology and has seen many advancements now. Scientists have now taken a step forward by gene-editing food, which they claim is much more healthier than usual ones.

A food service company in the United States has now started using an oil made from genetically edited soybeans in its sauces, dressings and fryer, claiming it to be the first commercial use of a gene-edited crop.

With gene-editing technology, the agriculture company named Calyxt, deactivated two genes found in soybeans, creating a soybean oil with no trans fats and more heart-healthy fats than traditional soybean oils, reported Futurism.

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The company also told the Associated Press that the oil also has a longer shelf life, which could decrease costs for consumers. Citing ‘competitive reasons’, Calyxt preferred to keep the restaurant name anonymous that was serving the gene-edited food, but according to CEO Jim Blome, the oil is ‘in use and being eaten’.

“This historical commercialization of the first-ever gene-edited food product is a testament that food manufacturers and consumers are not only embracing innovation, but also willing to pay a premium for products which are healthier and traceable to the source,” Calyxt’s Chief Commercial Officer Manoj Sahoo said.

The firm hopes that this gene-editing food technology will probably encourage the food industry’s interest in the oil.