Scientists at UK-based Rothamsted Research have developed gene-edited wheat with substantially reduced levels of free asparagine, a precursor to acrylamide. The success was demonstrated through two years of food trials and was published in Plant Biotechnology Journal.
Free asparagine is an amino acid that converts to acrylamide, a toxic compound and probable carcinogen formed during high-temperature cooking processes such as baking, frying, and toasting. The researchers reported that CRISPR/Cas9-edited wheat lines achieved reductions in free asparagine of 59 percent, and up to 93 percent in a dual-edited line targeting both the TaASN2 and TaASN1 genes. Yield was not affected in the edited lines.