Monthly Archives: June 2020

The rush to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 has extended to Italy and Israel, where scientists are using the tools of genetic engineering to develop algae-based edible vaccines against the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

As I explained ina previous reportabout work under way in Mexico to develop an edible COVID-19 vaccine delivered through a tomato, plants have numerous advantages mainly sanitary, storage and transport over conventional methods for obtaining recombinant vaccines. In the bibliographic search for that report, I observed that microalgae a type of small, unicellular algae is another way to obtain recombinant proteins and edible vaccines, with notable results so far.

Under this approach, a series of experimental developments have already been carried out in oral vaccines against pathogens such as hepatitis B, malaria, human papilloma virus (HPV), hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), classical swine fever (CSF) and Staphylococcus aureus, with some successful pre-clinical trials. Most of these works use Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a small unicellular and eukaryote algae, as a model for research and production of drugs and vaccines due to its practical laboratory management and genetic transformation.

With this background, it wasnt surprising to find that not only aredetection kits, nasal sprays and potential drugs for COVID-19 being developed with algae, but two scientific groups are also working to develop algae-based edible vaccines for the same virus. Before delving into the details of both investigations, my initial doubt fell on the technical and management differences that algae could have compared to field or greenhouse crops.

Their cultivation can be carried out on land infertile or unsuitable for cultivation, because they are capable of using residues as a source of nutrients and transforming them into a large quantity of high-quality molecules, explained biotechnologist Daniel Garza, the Mexican scientist who leads the tomato-vaccine research for COVID, in an email exchange. Garza previously developed an environmental biotechnology project for air decontamination through microalgae in Mexico, so I took advantage of his expertise before continuing to investigate on algae-based vaccines.

Its also a sustainable process, because during cultivation they are able to use atmospheric carbon (CO2), removing it and transforming it into high-value biomass, Garza added. They have an important cost advantage derived from their high growth rate and low cultivation cost, which makes them ideal for expressing new vaccines and replacing those that are expensive.

The first work to develop an algae-based vaccine comes from Italy, one of the countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the research is being carried out by the Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy of the Department of Biotechnology at the University of Verona, directed by professors Roberto Bassi and Luca DallOsto.

This laboratory works with a wide range of phototrophic organisms, including unicellular algae, mosses and higher plants, and also has a strong line of genetic engineering in model plants and unicellular algae to express recombinant products and enzymes with industrial and renewable energy applications.

The ability to perform genetic engineering, especially on the single-celled alga of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, has provided the basis for contributing to the development of an oral vaccine against the recently emerged SARS-VOC-2 viral strain responsible for the current pandemic threatening the global health, stated Dr. Edoardo Cutolo in a detailed interview (supplemented by valuable bibliography) with the Alliance for Science. This pioneering project involves Cutolo and his colleague, Dr. Max Angstenberger, in addition to the support of Dr. Simone Barera.

The scientific team applied two different approaches to introduce a DNA sequence that encodes an antigen derived from SARS-COV-2 into the microalgae genome. Remember that the antigen, in this case, is a protein or a protein portion that produces a response immune in our body, finally generating antibodies against the virus. The inserted DNA sequence corresponds to a portion of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein from the famous virus, required to bind to the ACE2 receptor and thus enter and infect host cells.

We use both conventional nuclear transgenesis and chloroplast transformation. In the second case, we aim at integrating the transgene inside the semi-autonomous polyploid genome of the photosynthetic organelle, Cutolo said. In the case of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the chloroplast represents the largest cell compartment, and since it is made of multiple copies of a circular chromosome, it leads to the accumulation of higher levels of recombinant proteins compared to transgenesis in the nucleus.

Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, the chloroplast not only allows greater accumulation of the antigen necessary for a vaccine due to its large size in the microalgae, but also facilitates a more stable integration of the transgene, avoiding the random integration problems that most common when the nucleus is genetically modified. But on the other hand, the cell nucleus has a machinery that allows subsequent modifications, such as glycosylation, of the new protein (or antigen), giving it functionality to generate adequate immunization.

Of note, in this project we employ selection methods that dont rely on antibiotic resistance genes, Cutolo said in reference to a supposed risk widely cited by critics of this technology. But we exploit the metabolic flexibility of this organism and a novel selectable marker strategy based on the selective metabolism of an essential nutrient to produce algae that comply with both health and environmental related concerns.

One of the great advantages of algae is that they grow and multiply quite quickly. According to Cutolo, if contamination is prevented, it is possible to accumulate up to 1 mg of the recombinant antigen for each gram of biomass of dried algae. Subsequently, the dehydrated/lyophilized algae can be encapsulated to generate an oral vaccine.

The cell wall from the dry algae protects the antigens from the harsh acidic and protease-rich gastric environment, enabling the bioactive molecule to reach the intestinal immune system where it can stimulate cellular and humoral responses, hopefully, leading to effective immunization, Cutolo explained.

When could they have an oral vaccine ready to test on animals? Very soon, according to Cutolo: Six weeks is a probable date.

Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean Sea, TransAlgae, abiotech company based in Rehovot, Israel, established itself in just over a decade as a development platform for oral animal vaccines, the aquaculture sector and pest-control in agriculture. A few months ago, the company embarked on applying this technology in a vaccine for COVID-19. To achieve this, they have opened a US$5 million investment round to support the development of an oral vaccine based on genetically modified algae, according to Eyal Ronen, vice president of business development of the company.

When asked about further technical, regulatory and obstacle details for this new oral vaccine, the company preferred not to respond or provided only brief answers to questions, citing the need for confidentiality.

However, in an informative publication by company President Daniel Gressel, a strategy similar to that of Italian scientists can be elucidated. For example, they would also be using the DNA sequence from a portion of the SARS-COV2 spike protein as transgene to insert into algae, and according to various previous company patents for vaccines in animals and fish, its very likely that they are using the same algae model C. reinhardtii for genetic modification and accumulate large amounts of the antigen modified algae that would be lyophilized to generate an oral capsule.

Ronen claims that the algae are genetically engineered to grow in a fermenter. This increases production rate 30-fold over wild algae. And we can control all the inputs in an accurate way for consistency, he added.

With this high speed, they calculate that they will begin animal trials in a few months, and in addition, they would seek collaborations and partnerships with companies in the United States to advance the development of the vaccine.

In general, microalgae have all the advantages of producing vaccines in land plants, with some additional benefits.

Microalgae thrive in very simple cultivation media, dont require complex infrastructure and their cultivation doesnt compete with crops for arable lands, Cutolo said. Anotherimportant detail to highlight is that microalgae are much more efficient than higher plants to convert sunlight into biomass.

As in plants, the recombinant antigen obtained from the collected algae biomass doesnt require purification or extraction, since it can dry out and the algae cell wall protects the antigens with a long useful life of up to 20 months without loss of efficacy at room temperature. This is very practical for developing countries, which often have problems with cold chain in storage/transport for conventional vaccines.

Perhaps the main advantage is the microalgae fast multiplication speed, which facilitates the work of the researchers. From a pure technical perspective, algae are preferable since the development of a new algal strain requires approximately one month, while the establishment of a GM plant can last up to one year, Cutolo said.

TransAlgaes Gressel also emphasized reproduction speed as a clear advantage in one of the few responses he gave me by email. Algae double every day if you start with 1 gram, in 32 days you have 8.8 billion grams, which in the case of coronavirus is enough for the world, Gressel said.

However, difficulties arent unrelated to this approach. According to Cutolo, a major drawback in the cultivation of algae resides in the omnipresent risk of culture contamination by outcompeting parasites, which occurs both in closed photobioreactors and open high-rate speed systems.

This issue makes algal biotechnology cost-inefficient because of high management costs to prevent that, Cutolo said. However, we are employing a recently introduced sustainable technology that enables the management of target monoculture of algae in non-sterile conditions, making this production system very attractive.

Regarding biological containment risks, in Cutolos experience, these wouldnt be a problem. Most of the naturally occurring (wild type) algal strains used for genetic engineering lack essential genes required for nitrogen assimilation (nitrate reductase), making them strictly dependent on the nitrogen source provided in the cultivation medium, thus making their survival in the wild impossible, he said.

There is no containment problem because the algae lack nitrate reductase and therefore die outside the photobioreactor.

Before entering the market, algae-based oral vaccine would face regulatory obstacles similar to those discussed in my earliertomato vaccine report. Transalgae had no previous problems when it worked with oral vaccines using GM microalgae for the aquaculture sector, as the final product was a deactivated algae powder (dead material). Due to this, the material is considered GMO-derived, not a GMO, a distinction that has allowed the company to successfully operate in markets with strict GMO regulations.

Meanwhile, neither the scientists in Verona nor in Revohot are resting on their laurels. If TransAlgae succeeds with a COVID-19 edible vaccine, its planned next step will be to produce an influenza oral vaccine by rapidly growing antigens against a wide variety of strains of the pathogen. The Italian scientists are working in parallel with gene editing, a tool that would allow them to introduce additional modifications to the algae nuclear genome, which could improve the productivity of its biomass.

Given the urgency dictated by the current situation, but also due to the very likely possibility that similar pandemics will hit our global society in the future, its of paramount importance to develop technologies that afford a rapid production of vaccines and biopharmaceuticals that are safe and easy to deliver, especially in those areas which have limited access to medical infrastructure, Cutolo concluded.

Undoubtedly, the versatile genetic manipulation, speed of reproduction and minimal resources necessary for the growth of algae make it a viable and sustainable alternative and candidate for urgently needed medical and environmental solutions across the globe.

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Italy and Israel bet on GM microalgae to develop edible COVID vaccine - Alliance for Science

Written by Parthasarathi Biswas | Pune | Updated: June 12, 2020 12:56:06 pm Genetic engineering aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects. (File Photo)

Last week, Shetkari Sanghatana the farmers union founded by the late leader Sharad Joshi announced fresh plans in its agitation for use of genetically modified seeds. In the current kharif season, farmers would undertake mass sowing of GM seeds for maize, soyabean, mustard brinjal and herbicide tolerant (Ht) cotton, although these are not approved. Farmers had carried out a similar movement last year, too.

What are genetically modified seeds?

Conventional plant breeding involves crossing species of the same genus to provide the offspring with the desired traits of both parents. Genetic engineering aims to transcend the genus barrier by introducing an alien gene in the seeds to get the desired effects. The alien gene could be from a plant, an animal or even a soil bacterium.

Bt cotton, the only GM crop that is allowed in India, has two alien genes from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) that allows the crop to develop a protein toxic to the common pest pink bollworm. Ht Bt, on the other, cotton is derived with the insertion of an additional gene, from another soil bacterium, which allows the plant to resist the common herbicide glyphosate.

In Bt brinjal, a gene allows the plant to resist attacks of fruit and shoot borer.

In DMH-11 mustard, developed by Deepak Pental and colleague in the South Campus of University of Delhi, genetic modification allows cross-pollination in a crop that self-pollinates in nature.

Across the world, GM variants of maize, canola and soyabean, too, are available.

What is the legal position of genetically modified crops in India?

In India, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is the apex body that allows for commercial release of GM crops. In 2002, the GEAC had allowed the commercial release of Bt cotton. More than 95 per cent of the countrys cotton area has since then come under Bt cotton. Use of the unapproved GM variant can attract a jail term of 5 years and fine of Rs 1 lakh under the Environmental Protection Act ,1989.

Why are farmers rooting for GM crops?

In the case of cotton, farmers cite the high cost of weeding, which goes down considerably if they grow Ht Bt cotton and use glyphosate against weeds. Brinjal growers in Haryana have rooted for Bt brinjal as it reduces the cost of production by cutting down on the use of pesticides.

Unauthorised crops are widely used. Industry estimates say that of the 4-4.5 crore packets (each weighing 400 gm) of cotton sold in the country, 50 lakh are of the unapproved Ht Bt cotton. Haryana has reported farmers growing Bt brinjal in pockets which had caused a major agitation there. In June last year, in a movement led by Shetkari Sanghatana in Akola district of Maharashtra, more than 1,000 farmers defied the government and sowed Ht Bt cotton. The Akola district authorities subsequently booked the organisers.

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Environmentalists argue that the long-lasting effect of GM crops is yet to be studied and thus they should not be released commercially. Genetic modification, they say, brings about changes that can be harmful to humans in the long run.

What is the movement about?

The Sanghatana has announced that this year they are going to undertake large-scale sowing of unapproved GM crops like maize, Ht Bt cotton, soyabean and brinjal across Maharashtra. Farmers who plant such variants will put up boards on their fields proclaiming the GM nature of their crop. Anil Ghanwat, president of the union, has said this action will draw attention to the need for introduction of the latest technology in the fields. He said farmers will not be deterred by any action taken against them by the authorities.

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GM seeds: the debate, and a sowing agitation - The Indian Express

The global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market is estimated to be influenced by the increased innovation and spending in research and development activities relating to the field. Viral vectorsare those tools that are popular amongst the molecular biologists and they make wide use of these tools to deliver genetic materials into cells. This same procedure can be conducted in cell culture (in vitro) or inside a living organism (in vivo). Viruses have developed into specialized molecular mechanisms in a bid to carry their genomes inside the cells that they infect. On the other hand, plasmids are small DNA molecules, which are separated physically from the chromosomal DNA and then they are able to replicate on their own. Abundantly found in bacteria as double-stranded, circular DNA molecules, these organisms are utilized widely in laboratories of biotechnology and genetic engineering. It is there where they are utilized for the purpose of amplifying and cloning or expressing certain types of genes.

The players in the global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market are increasingly focusing on the invention of new techniques in a bid to better the characterization of viral vectors is estimated drive the demand for the testing services over the period of analysis, from 2019 to 2029.

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The global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market has been segmented based on testing services, end user, and region. The main objective of providing such a comprehensive report is to provide a deep insight into the market.

Global Viral Vector and Plasmid DNA Testing Services market: Notable Developments

The global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market has witnessed some of the major developments in the last few years. One such significant development of the market is mentioned below:

Some of the key market players of the viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market comprise the following

Global Viral Vector and Plasmid DNA Testing Services Market: Growth Drivers

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Inorganic Growth Strategies Likely to Shape Contours of the Market

Viral vectors are customized as per their requirements in certain specific applications but these vectors usually come with a few key characteristics, such as safety, low toxicity, stability, cell type specificity, and identification. These properties of viral vectors are likely to play an important role in supporting growth of the global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market. Viral vectors are seldom created from pathogenic viruses and they are altered in such a way that the risk of handling is minimized. Besides, viral vector causes no or minimal effect on the physiology of the infected cell.

A rise in the focus of market players on the development of innovative technologies in an attempt to improve characterization of viral vectors is likely to encourage development of the global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market in the years to come. A case in point is the development of Vac-Man 96 Vacuum Manifold by US-based Promega Corporation. This invention supports the processing of SV 96 plates for PCR product, genomic, and plasmid purification. The product finds utilization in Wizard SV 96 plasmid DNA purification system to isolate plasmid DNA.

Global Viral Vector and Plasmid DNA Testing Services market: Regional Outlook

In the global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market, North America is likely to emerge as one of the prominent regions in market. Such growth of the region is attributed to the various inorganic growth strategies taken by market players such as acquisitions, partnerships, and mergers. These strategies are taken to strengthen and widen the product portfolio of the market players present in the region. This factor is likely to boost the growth of the North America in the years to come.

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The global viral vector and plasmid DNA testing services market is segmented as:

Testing Services

End User

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Viral Vector and Plasmid DNA Testing Services Market Players focusing on the invention of new techniques in a bid to better the characterization of...

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) Health experts say a vaccine is the worlds best hope to ending the coronavirus pandemic.

And while there are currently dozens of human clinical trials underway, other trials are enlisting animals. Some are house pets, some live in pastures, and others in tropical rain forests.

Ferrets

Ferrets are vulnerable to many respiratory illnesses found in humans, including lung cancer, cystic fibrosis and the novel coronavirus,thus making them great candidates for experimentation, scientists say.

Researchers now know ferrets can contract and transmit COVID-19. This has a lot to do with how the virus enters the body and attacks the lungs. The mechanism mirrors how COVID-19 attaches to human lungs, scientists say.

Scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia have started two pre-clinical trials to test a potential COVID-19 vaccine using the animal.

Monkeys

Scientists from The Jenner Institute at Oxford University began working on a coronavirus vaccine back in 2019. While its not for COVID-19, the virus responsible for this pandemic, its very similar.

The vaccine was tested at the National Institutes of Healths Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Montana. Scientists injected six rhesus monkeys with the 2019 vaccine and then exposed them to the novel coronavirus. Less than a month later, all six monkeys showed no signs of COVID-19.

Cows

Researchers are also looking to cows in an effort to develop a treatment. Scientists at SAB Biotherapeutics in South Dakota, through genetic engineering, created an embryo that contains parts of human chromosomes. The embryo is then implanted into the cow.

The resulting calf then grows into what scientists call a genetically humanized cow. The only overlap between the cow and a person is a portion of their immune system.

The genetically humanized cows are then injected with COVID-19. The cows immune system now similar to a persons would then attack the coronavirus. From there, scientists would look to see if the cows develop antibodies against it. The idea is that these antibodies would then be extracted from the cows blood and used as a drug to combat the coronavirus.

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What scientists are learning about COVID-19 from animals - WISHTV.com

After decades of being sidelined by consumers concerned over whether they were safe, foods made with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, may finally find a place on more meal plates along with other new agricultural biotechnologies aimed at making plants drought- or flood-tolerant and increasing yields.

The changing climate and growing population are pressuring the food system, experts said. At the same time younger generations like Gen Z are interested in the environment and sustainability and are more likely to be open to eating food created with new technologies that could boost yields.

Consumers should think less about the technology and more about what we can do to enhance the sustainability of agriculture, said Pamela Ronald, PhD, professor in the department of plant pathology at the University of California at Davis. There will be different technologies, now and into the future. There is a critical challenge to feed the growing population without destroying the environment.

Dr. Roland and her colleagues developed a rice that can withstand the heavy flooding in Africa and Asia and increase yields. She coauthored a paper entitled Crop Biotechnology and the Future of Food that appeared in the May 19 issue of Nature Food on genetic tools to help increase food production.

By 2050 the global population is predicted to reach 9.7 billion. Meeting this higher food demand, if consumption practices and food waste do not change, requires estimated food production increases of 25% to 200%, she wrote. Cultivated crops using food technologies are part of the solution, she said.

Meanwhile, anti-GMO groups including the Organic Consumers Association in Finland, MN, and the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in Minneapolis, MN, argue there isnt enough research yet on GMOs to assure they are safe to eat.

Some companies even use a non-GMO label as an advantage when marketing to consumers. Meat alternative company Beyond Meat utilized that label to distinguish itself from competitor Impossible Burger, which uses two genetically engineered ingredients: soy leghemoglobin and soy protein.

However, debates over GMO or non-GMO labeling are unlikely to fundamentally change consumers views of GMOs, said William Hallman, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Human Ecology at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.

Sales of the Impossible Burger dont appear to be flagging because people are concerned about the fact that it has GMO-based ingredients, he said. In fact, it is more likely that people are attracted to the idea that both the Beyond and Impossible burgers are plant-based, which creates a health halo around the products.

He mentioned most consumers will freely admit they know little about GMOs or gene-editing technologies, so they are not changing their habits about eating GMO foods.

One of the pioneers of GMOs was Norman Borlaug, PhD, who in the 1950s created a disease-resistant, high-yield, semi-dwarf wheat that fed millions of people in Mexico and South Asia.

GMOs continue to be used to relieve famines and get more crop yield out of available land. In January, Zimbabwe quietly lifted its 12-year-old ban on GMO corn in an effort to avert a severe famine, according to Bloomberg News.

The current and anticipated challenges to the food system arent lost in the U.S. Three federal agencies in March got behind an effort to educate consumers about GMOs. The U.S. FDA, USDA, and EPA launched the Feed Your Mind program, which aims to answer questions about what GMOs are, how and why they are made, how they are regulated, and whether they are healthy and safe.

A GMO is a plant, animal, or microorganism that has had its genetic material modified, including transferring DNA from one organism to another. Apples, potatoes, and soybeans are among the many genetically modified foods that are available in supermarkets.

While foods from genetically engineered plants have been available to consumers since the early 1990s and are a common part of todays food supply, there are a lot of misconceptions about them, FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn, MD, said when the initiative was launched. This initiative is intended to help people better understand what these products are and how they are made. Genetic engineering has created new plants that are resistant to insects and diseases, led to products with improved nutritional profiles, as well as certain produce that dont brown or bruise as easily.

The COVID-19 pandemic could have a role in consumer awareness of potential food shortages, even though distribution issues may be at the root of the problem now, said Oliver Peoples, PhD, president and CEO of Yield10 Bioscience of Woburn, MA, a company that uses the gene-editing technology CRISPR and other technologies to improve crop yields.

The public has gone to the grocery store and seen empty shelves, including basic staples like meats, chicken, and eggs, he said. This has forced many consumers to try genetically modified products that they might have not typically opted to buy before.

Furthermore, the Millennial and Gen Z generations are making a big difference in the acceptability of food made with technology because they are very focused on climate change and sustainability, said Dr. Peoples.

Marketing company Ketchum found that 77% of Gen Z consumers it polled are likely to try food made with technology and 71% are comfortable with its use to grow food (see Food Tech Consumer Perception table below).

This bodes well for food companies, as Gen Z is the newest generation of food consumers with purchasing power, said Bill Zucker, managing director of food at Ketchum.

By Lori Valigra, journalist based in Harrison, ME. Reach her at valigra@gmail.com.

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How Receptive are Consumers to Agricultural Biotech? - Food Institute Focus - Food Institute Blog

Eggs that would otherwise be wasted can be used as the base of an inexpensive coating to protect fruits and vegetables, Rice University researchers have discovered.

Brown School of Engineering lab of materials scientist Pulickel Ajayan and colleagues have developed a micron-thick coating that solves problems both for produce and its consumers.

When the coating was applied to produce by spraying or dipping, it showed a remarkable ability to resist rotting for an extended period comparable to standard coatings like wax, but without some of the inherent problems.

The coating provides an outlet for eggs that never reach the market, the researchers suggested, as manufacturers reject 3% of the more than 7 billion eggs produced each year in the U.S. In fact, they estimated that more than 200 million eggs end up in landfills each year.

Reducing food shortages in ways that dont involve genetic modification, inedible coatings or chemical additives is important for sustainable living, Ajayan said. The work is a remarkable combination of interdisciplinary efforts involving materials engineers, chemists and biotechnologists from multiple universities across the U.S.

Along with being edible, the multifunctional coating retards dehydration, provides antimicrobial protection and is largely impermeable both to water vapor to retard dehydration and to gas to prevent premature ripening. The coating is all-natural and washes off with water.

If anyone is sensitive to the coating or has an egg allergy, they can easily eliminate it, Jung said.

Egg whites (albumen) and yolks account for nearly 70% of the coating, the researchers explained. The majority of the rest of the coating consists of nanoscale cellulose extracted from wood -- which serves as a barrier to water and keeps produce from shriveling -- a small amount of curcumin for antimicrobial powers and a splash of glycerol to add elasticity.

Lab tests on dip-coated strawberries, avocadoes, bananas and other fruit showed that they maintained their freshness far longer than uncoated produce. Compression tests showed that coated fruits were significantly stiffer and firmer than uncoated fruits and demonstrated the coatings ability to keep water in the produce, thus slowing the ripening process.

An analysis of freestanding films of the coating showed it to be extremely flexible and able to resist cracking, allowing better protection of the produce. Tests of the films tensile properties showed it to be just as tough as other products, including synthetic films used in produce packaging. Further tests proved the coating to be nontoxic, and solubility tests showed that a thicker-than-usual film is washable. Rinsing in water for a couple of minutes can completely disintegrate it, Ajayan said.

The researchers continue to refine the coatings composition and are considering other source materials.

We chose egg proteins because there are lots of eggs wasted, but it doesnt mean we cant use others, said co-corresponding author Muhammad Rahman, a research scientist in Ajayans Rice lab who mentored and led the team.

Jung noted that the team is testing proteins that could be extracted from plants rather than animal production to make coatings.

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Egg-based coating preserves fresh produce - Feedstuffs