Producing the omega‐3 fatty acids DHA and EPA in oilseed crops

Abstract

AbstractThere is increasing consumer demand for the omega‐3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) because of their well‐recognized benefits for human health and the observation that current western diets are deficient in these important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). This has led to the need for additional cost‐effective and sustainable dietary sources of DHA and EPA beyond the traditional resource, oceanic fish. Recent advances in plant biotechnology have shown that DHA and EPA can be produced in vegetable oils using two approaches involving different sets of genes. One approach incorporates genes that direct sequential rounds of desaturation and elongation of native plant fatty acids. The other approach uses microalgal PUFA synthase genes to make DHA de novo without the need for native fatty acid precursors. These strategies offer the potential for sustainable production methods for DHA and EPA via land‐based oilseed crops.