Friday, March 21, 2008

Genotype Foods: Still a Pipe Dream

Recently, the 2008 Nutrigenomics conference met to discuss the future of food and the ethical, social, and legal sides of the technology used in the industry. In this conference, it was acknowledged that foods specifically tailored to genotypes are not going to appear on the shelves till decades later. The science of how food and nutrients influence the genome has progressed (nutrigenomics), but there is still much to be learned about it. According to the European Nutrigenomics Organization, nutrigenomics testing is not currently feasible. Instead, many tests are focused on nutrigenetics, which examine how a person’s genetics affect their response to diet, and also focused on changes to messenger RNA, changes in how the proteins control the transport of different nutrients, and changes to the substances that are produced or used in the biochemical pathway.

Bonnie - we agree with this assessment. The most current research has shown that while nutrigenomics has come a long way, finding single gene polymorphisms is not an accurate view of the "big picture." Hundreds or thousands of genes all work together in a way that must be figured out. Then, we can accurately advise an individual on the proper nutrigenomic path for them. In the meantime, we continue to focus on harmonizing the messages that get sent to our genes through reducing inflammation at the kinase hubs.

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