High-carotenoid maize: development of plant biotechnology prototypes for human and animal health and nutrition

Abstract

Carolight (R) is a transgenic maize variety that accumulates extraordinary levels of carotenoids, including those with vitamin A activity. The development of Carolight (R) maize involved the technical implementation of a novel combinatorial transformation method, followed by rigorous testing for transgene expression and the accumulation of different carotenoid molecules. Carolight (R) was envisaged as a way to improve the nutritional health of human populations that cannot access a diverse diet, but this ultimate humanitarian application can only be achieved after extensive testing for safety, agronomic performance and nutritional sufficiency. In this article, we chart the history of Carolight (R) maize focusing on its development, extensive field testing for agronomic performance and resistance to pests and pathogens, and feeding trials to analyze its impact on farm animals (and their meat/dairy products) as well as animal models of human diseases. We also describe more advanced versions of Carolight (R) endowed with pest-resistance traits, and other carotenoid-enhanced maize varieties originating from the same series of initial transformation experiments. Finally we discuss the further steps required before Carolight (R) can fulfil its humanitarian objectives, including the intellectual property and regulatory constraints that lie in its path.