OPTI-2: Optimising nutritional quality of crops

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 00.0412-1

Key words (English)

Amino acid analysis; metabolite profiling (metabolomics);
Biotechnology; Environmental Protection; Innovation; Technology Transfer; Life Sciences; Medicine; Health; Waste Management

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: QLK3-CT-2000-00103

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.1.3 The 'cell factory'

Short description (English)

See abstract

Further information (English)

Full name of research-institution/enterprise:
Universität Bern
Departement für Chemie und Biochemie
Proteinanalytik

Partners and International Organizations (English)

Coordinator: Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaft (D)

Abstract (English)

The major limiting essential amino acids in crops are lysine and methionine. The amount of these amino acids determines the nutritional quality of a crop as food or feed raw material. This project proposal aims at improving the composition of free and protein bound amino acids in maize and potato as major European crops. Results obtained with these crops are easily transferable to other crops. The results of this project will influence positively breeding strategies targeted at this high quality output trait, namely improvement of nutritional quality. To this end renowned European academic and commercial research laboratories have formed a consortium to synergistically combine their research activities and devise new tools and strategies. Specific consideration is being given to safety aspects and consumer acceptance.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 00.0412-1