Results from two years of field trials show that Crispr-edited wheat can have significantly lower concentrations of free asparagine without affecting crop yields, major media reports indicate. Bread and biscuits made from the edited wheat showed substantially reduced acrylamide levels, with concentrations in some bread samples falling below detectable limits even after toasting. In contrast, conventional methods achieved a 50% reduction in free asparagine but with a yield penalty of nearly 25%.
Dr Navneet Kaur, lead researcher from Rothamsted Research, said that this work demonstrates the power of Crispr technology to deliver precise, beneficial changes in crop genetics, and with supportive regulatory frameworks, significant benefits for agriculture and food systems can be unlocked. The UK has become one of the global hubs for gene editing research since Brexit, when leaving the EU meant rules on genetically modified food no longer applied, according to major media reports. The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act, passed in 2023, makes it easier to develop and market genetically modified crops and livestock in the UK.
However, the UK's adoption of precision-bred crops could be slowed if the EU succeeds in getting the UK to adopt dynamic alignment with its food rules without a carve-out for these items. Some breads may be banned in the EU due to high acrylamide levels, as the bloc has a regulation that sets benchmark levels for the compound in food. It remains unknown whether the Crispr-edited wheat has been approved for commercial use or human consumption, and the exact timeline for potential market introduction is unclear.
Additionally, how the EU's acrylamide regulations specifically impact the trade or sale of bread made from this wheat, along with the full extent of regulatory hurdles or public acceptance challenges, has not been detailed.