Genetically Modified Wheat Could Bring Bread Back to Those With Celiac Disease
Scientists are testing out a gene-edited strain that gluten-intolerant people would be able to eat
With a few exceptions, most gluten-free bread products just don't cut it, and Celiac sufferers know it. But as Gizmodo reports, a solution may be along the way with real-deal wheat that's being genetically modified to decrease the likelihood of a reaction to gluten, according to a study published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.
While the researchers aren't planning on taking out the gluten completely, scientists from the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture in Cordoba, Spain experimented with gene-editing to remove Gliadins from the wheat. Gliadins are the components of gluten that allow the bread to rise correctly, but they are also the most common component of gluten that people with Celiac disease react to.
According to Gizmodo, the researchers have eliminated 35 of the 45 genes for the Gliadin protein, and immune reactions were reduced by 85 percent with the modified wheat. Although the wheat still has to go through more research and testing before it's widely available to the public, there is hope for a bread (or other gene-edited gluten foods) that isn't disgusting for people with Celiac disease or gluten intolerances to enjoy.
Keep Reading
Continue to Next Story
