Bioengineered Plants Can Be a Useful Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

The 2017 review article discussed the critical role of omega-3 fatty acids in human health and the challenges associated with obtaining them from marine sources due to overfishing and contamination. It highlighted the advancements in bioengineering plants to produce omega-3 fatty acids as a sustainable alternative. The article noted that while plants do not naturally have the pathway to synthesize long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), genetic modifications using genes from algae, bacteria, and yeast have shown progress. Microalgae, bacteria, and yeasts are also considered as alternative PUFA sources. Although bioengineered plants have successfully produced omega-3 fatty acids, the levels are currently low, and further research is needed to economically produce higher quantities. The document concluded that developing bioengineered plants for omega-3 production is essential to address global deficiencies, complementing efforts by pharmaceutical companies using microbial activities to produce these fatty acids.