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Scientists Engineer Plants to Produce Crucial Infant Nutrition Component
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Scientists have engineered plants to produce human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), crucial sugars absent in infant formula. These HMOs, vital for disease prevention and gut health, are complex and hard to synthesize traditionally.
Researchers at UC Berkeley and UC Davis genetically modified plants, enabling them to create these essential sugars. By reprogramming tobacco relatives, they successfully produced 11 known HMOs and similar compounds. This breakthrough could lead to more nutritious, affordable infant formulas, closely mimicking the benefits of breast milk.
The potential for industrial-scale production of HMOs from plants is promising, offering a cheaper alternative to microbial methods, which are currently limited and costly. This innovation aims to bridge the gap in infant nutrition, making essential breast milk components accessible to all.
| Scores | Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Objectivity | 5 | Content provides balanced reporting on scientific advancements without bias. |
| Social Impact | 4 | Content could influence public opinion on infant nutrition and formula alternatives. |
| Credibility | 5 | Content is credible, based on scientific research from reputable institutions. |
| Potential | 5 | High potential to significantly improve infant nutrition globally. |
| Practicality | 4 | Highly practical with potential for wide application in infant formula production. |
| Entertainment Value | 2 | Content is informative but lacks typical entertainment elements. |