Plant Neutraceuticals

The concept of using plants as bio-factories to produce pharmaceuticals also extends to the potential production of a wide range of other products.
These may be in the health care area (e.g. dermatology, cardiology, human metabolism, endocrinology, respiration, transplantation and oncology),or production of compounds that improve human diet or health (the formation of a new ‘wellness complex’ by food). For example, Prodi Gene and Stauffer seeds are growing maize that produces avidin for use in health diagnostic kits,and Brazzein, a lowcalorie natural sweetener.Other neutraceuticals include overproduction of vitamin A in rice or phytosterols to reduce cholesterol in humans. Clearly, identity preservation and separate storage/transport and handling will be required for such products, as for most high-value transgenic crops.