Rapeseed has been a staple crop in Europe for a very long time, and the beautiful yellow blossoms that it produces signal the beginning of summer. However, owing to the inclusion of substances that render it inedible and unsuitable for consumption by humans, its usage as a source of food has been restricted. Instead, the factory has been used mostly for the production of oil and feed for animals.
But a new study from the University of Copenhagen, which was recently published in the esteemed scientific journal Nature, has made headway in removing these bitter compounds from rapeseed, which opens the door for the prospect of a new supply of protein that might assist with the transition to a more sustainable model.
Rapeseed is presently responsible for providing fifty percent of the plant proteins that are produced by regionally grown plants in the EU. Rapeseed has a considerable amount of untapped potential as a new source of plant-based protein in the green transition. This is because the climate crisis requires a change toward eating more plants and less meat.
After determining which proteins in rapeseed contribute to the storage of bitter chemicals, the researchers employed a method known as “transport engineering” to remove those proteins from the seed. Since this accomplishment, the plant is able to continue erecting defenses against herbivores and diseases since the protective components are still present in other parts of the plant.
Despite the fact that rapeseed cake, which is made up of the seeds’ remains after the oil has been extracted, has a high protein level of 30–40%, it has only sometimes been utilized as feed for pigs and poultry owing to the spiciness of the cake. After the removal of the chemicals that cause the bitter taste, rapeseed cake may be utilized as a protein supplement in animal feed and perhaps in goods intended for human consumption.
Dr. Deyang Xu, who was the primary author of the research, said that the connection between the seeds and the fruit shell is a cell factory that is responsible for the production of the bitter chemicals that are subsequently found in the seeds. The researchers were successful in preventing the accumulation of these chemicals in the seeds by removing the proteins that were responsible for the transfer of these compounds.
To show the efficacy of their methodology, the researchers employed thale cress, a model plant that is closely related to rapeseed. They are now working on developing an application for their results with rapeseed.
The DynaMo Center at the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the University of Copenhagen received financing from the Danish National Study Foundation for a period of ten years, which made it feasible for the center to conduct the study. The head of the study, Professor Barbara Ann Halkier, stressed the significance of sustained financial backing for scientific research, which enabled the team to dive into the nuances of the investigation and make this substantial advancement in the field.
In conclusion, this significant advancement in rapeseed research represents an encouraging step forward in the direction of utilizing the plant as a source of protein for both animal feed and maybe for human consumption, therefore assisting the transition away from fossil fuels and toward a more sustainable future.