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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #172060
Title: NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PEANUT VARIETIES

Author
item JONNALA, RAMAKANTH - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV
item DUNFORD, NURHAN - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIV
item Chamberlin, Kelly

Submitted to: Journal of Food Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2005
Publication Date: 4/15/2005
Citation: Jonnala, R.S., Dunford, N.T., Chenault, K.D. 2005. Nutritional composition of genetically modified peanut varieties. Journal of Food Science. 70(4):S254-S256.

Interpretive Summary: Peanut is an economically important crop throughout the world and is susceptible to many types of fungal pathogens which can cause significant yield loss to producers across the U.S. Genetic engineering offers great potential for developing peanut cultivars resistant to a broad spectrum of pathogens that pose a recurring threat to peanut health. However, before genetically modified peanut (GMP) lines can be released to the public for production and consumption, it is important to determine their nutritional safety. The main objective of this research project was to assess the nutritional safety of GMP lines designed to be resistant to fungal disease. Three GMP lines and the parent line, Okrun, were analyzed for their oil, protein, ash, moisture, total dietary fiber, mineral, and fatty acid compositions. The results of this study show that oil contents of all the GMP lines are similar to that of the parent line. One GMP line had significantly higher protein content than the parent line, Okrun. Although there were statistical differences in the fatty acid composition among some of the GMP lines and parent line, the variations were within normal ranges. The proximate compositions of all peanut lines were within the range reported for traditional peanut varieties. This study indicates that, for the GMP lines studied, genetic modification did not cause unexpected negative changes in peanut chemical composition, which might lessen the nutritional value.

Technical Abstract: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), an economically important crop throughout the world, is susceptible to many types of fungal pathogens. Genetic engineering offers great potential for developing peanut cultivars resistant to a broad spectrum of pathogens that pose a recurring threat to peanut health. The main objective of this research project was to assess the 'substantial equivalence' and nutritional safety of biotechnology-derived peanut lines. The focus of this study was on genetically modified peanut (GMP) lines developed for growth in the Southwestern U.S. Three transgenic peanut lines 188, 540 and 654 and the parent line Okrun were analyzed for their oil, protein, ash, moisture, total dietary fiber, mineral, and fatty acid compositions. The results of this study show that oil contents of all the GMP lines are similar to that of the parent line. The GMP line 188 had significantly higher protein content than the parent line, Okrun. Although there were statistical differences in the fatty acid composition among some of the GMP lines and parent line, the variations were not substantial. The proximate compositions of all peanut lines were within the range reported for traditional peanut varieties. This study indicates that, for the peanut lines studied, genetic modification did not cause substantial unintentional changes in peanut chemical composition, which might lessen the nutritional value.