Plant molecular farming: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Modern human life is impossible without products derived from classical, contemporary biotechnology. However, large-scale production of biotechnology wares opens a discussion about the economic impact, waste management, biosafety, and bioethical issues. Plant molecular farming offers a relatively inexpensive option for the yielding of many valuable products and demonstrates a number of advantages over classical technologies, but also raises the questions of further development perspectives, hazard identification and risk assessment. This review is focused on these two questions: opportunities offered and challenges faced by modern plant molecular farming systems.