FEATURE
Negative environmental impact of olive pomace
ecules with antioxidant and other pleiotropic actions. Extensive research has been carried by our team on olive oil by-products and fish with regard to their capacity to prevent atherogenesis. Recently, the possibility of partially replacing fish oil in gilthead sea bream and sea bass grow-out diet by lipids obtained from OP and olive pomace oil (OPO) has been reported. In actual fact, the feeding of OP to fish results in an improvement in its ability to prevent atherosclerosis and therefore cardiovascular diseases (Nasopoulou et al., 2011a).
GM plants There have been numerous studies on genetically modifying the plant oil profile so the plants increase the biosynthesis of either the precursors of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids or these fatty acids themselves. These modifications have focused on C 18 Δ6-desaturated fatty acids (such as γ-linolenic and stearidonic acid), omega-6- long-chain PUFAs (such as arachidonic acid) and omega3-long-chain PUFAS (often referred to as ‘fish oils’) (such as EPA and DHA) and they have been recently revised (Haslam et al., 2012). The research approach is based on the assumption that omega-3 and omega-6 PUFAs have considerable nutritional value and thus efforts have focused in enhancing the bioformation of these molecules in the ‘designer’ oils (after genetic modification). However, under the light of recent evidence that omega PUFAs have less nutritional value that previously considered (Rizos et al., 2012), these genetically engineering
approaches need to be carefully considered. Scientifically, we need to assess any related environmental impact when GM plants are cultivated and commercially, we need to address the public concerns and need of the consumers (at least in EU) for ‘GMO free’ food.
Food for thought / future actions In today’s rapidly changing world, we are asked to face conflicting problems and issues such as the overproduction and waste of food, obesity, CVDs and diabetes in the developed countries, famine and malnutrition in the developing countries, climate change, scarcity of water, rational use of cultivated land and sustainable use of resources and energy. In this complex and swiftly changing environment, the issue of food security and on how we can secure nutrition for the entire human population becomes a top priority for all of us in the feed and food arena. The sustainable production of food is a complex challenge. Some insights in approaching this challenge have been highlighted with this article. ■
References Haslam RP, Ruiz-Lopez N, Eastmond P, Moloney M, Sayanova O, Napier JA. 2012.The modification of plant oil composition via metabolic engineering - better nutrition by design. Plant Biotech Journal 2012:1-12. Keys A, Menotti A, Aravanis C, et al. 1984. The Seven Countries Study: 2,289 deaths in 15 years. Prev Med 13(2): 141-54. Nasopoulou C, Karantonis HC, Perrea DN, Theocharis SE, Iliopoulos DG, Demopoulos 24 | International AquaFeed | March-April 2013
CA, Zabetakis I. 2010. In vivo anti-atherogenic properties of cultured gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) polar lipid extracts in hypercholesterolaemic rabbits. Food Chem 120:831-6. Nasopoulou C, Stamatakis G, Demopoulos CA, Zabetakis I. 2011a. Effects of olive pomace and olive pomace oil on growth performance, fatty acid composition and cardio protective properties of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Food Chem 129:1108-13. Nasopoulou C, Tsoupras AB, Karantonis HC, Demopoulos CA, Zabetakis I. 2011b. Fish polar lipids retard atherosclerosis in rabbits by downregulating PAF biosynthesis and up-regulating PAF catabolism. Lipids Health Dis 10:213. Nasopoulou C, Zabetakis I. 2012. Benefits of fish oil replacement by plant originated oils in compounded fish feeds. A review. LWT Food Sci. Technol. 47:217-224. Rizos EC, Ntzani EE, Bika E. Kostapanos MS, Elisaf MS. 2012. Association between omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and risk of major cardiovascular disease events. A systematic review and metaanalysis. JAMA 308:1024-33. Saravanan P, Davidson NC, Schmidt EB, Calder PC. 2010. Cardiovascular effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids. Lancet 376(9740): 540-50. Zabetakis I, Antonopoulou S, Demopoulos CA. 2013. The Prevention of Atherosclerosis by Food Components: Polar Lipids versus Omega-3 PUFAs. Commentary on www.athero.org published on 22.1.2013 (http://www.athero.org/commentaries/ comm1119.asp).
More Information: Email: izabet@chem.uoa.gr