Health-promoting transgenic rice: Application of rice seeds as a direct delivery system for bioactive peptides in human health

Abstract

The frequency of lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity has increased over the last few decades in the developed industrial nations. These diseases can lead to further serious conditions, such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The incidence of allergic diseases such as hay fever, asthma and allergic dermatitis has also been increasing, so that about 30% of the developed world’s population is now affected. The causes for increased disease incidence are likely to involve a complex interaction of genetics and the living environment with lifestyle choices such as the quality and quantity of food and level of physical activity. Prevention of lifestyle-related and allergic diseases has become increasingly important, since they seriously affect quality of life, and their economic costs have become a burden on even the most developed economies. Thus, there is a strong societal demand for effective prophylactic and mitigating therapies. Many foods are known to have qualities that reduce the risk of lifestylerelated diseases, some of which are due to bioactive peptides. Transgenic plants can thus be generated with components that have activity against lifestyle-related or allergic diseases. High-value-added crops, such as genetically engineered rice, that promote human health would have many benefits for consumers and producers alike, and should be socially acceptable irrespective of their genetic modification status by virtue of a net positive in any risk-benefit analysis.