Cultivation of "Super Health Care" Water celery by genetic Technology

Water celery was originally a common vegetable in the housewife's basket. British scientists have used genetically modified technology to make water celery rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids found in chickens and fish, making it a "super healthy" vegetable.

The transgenic celery contains omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids that regulate blood pressure and immune response and participate in cellular signaling activities. Omega-3 is also thought to promote brain development and reduce the incidence of heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis in adults.

Seaweed and mushrooms are rich in natural polyunsaturated fatty acids. Scientists at the University of Bristol in the UK reported in the journal Nature Biotechnology that they isolated three genes responsible for making polyunsaturated fatty acids from algae and mushrooms and implanted them into cress to produce genetically modified celery, which is also rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The researchers believe that this result will contribute to the development and research of a new generation of healthy vegetable foods in the future.

Katherine Collins, a nutritionist at St. George's Hospital in London, said the genetically modified parsley can be eaten directly or by feeding animals into the food chain before human consumption. This achievement is another progress in the research of functional food. The human body cannot synthesize omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and can only get them from natural foods. In nature, poultry and egg foods are rich in omega-6, while cold-water fish such as grains, salmon, halibut and sardines are rich in omega-3. However, due to the lack of fish resources and excessive fish botulinum toxins caused by pollution, researchers have been looking for food sources that are rich in these two nutrients and are easily available. But some people have long been skeptical about genetically modified foods, and it is unclear whether the "super health" water celery will eventually come to the table.