As if vegetables weren’t already healthy enough, UK scientists have found a way to add heart-healthy fatty acids to plants. A team led by Dr. Baoxiu Qi at the University of Bath, UK, genetically altered a cress plant to produce both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which are thought to be protective against cardiovascular disease. These oils are also important for infant brain and eye development. The accumulation of these fatty acids in plants “is a breakthrough in the search for alternative sustainable sources of fish oils,” Qi’s team concludes in the advance online edition of the journal Nature Biotechnology.
