Andry Andriankaja is an agronomist that specializes in the field of plant biotechnology. Carl Andre is the research manager for the EPA-DHA Canola project at the BASF Plant Science Department who studied how plants convert simple sugars to oil as well as plant lipid metabolism.  They are working together on a big project in biotechnology that will innovate the way we eat and provide our body with nutrients: making the typical canola plant naturally produce EPA and DHA, two types of Omega 3 fatty acids.

We all know what Omega 3 fatty acids are and what they can do for the body, but we’re often forced to either eat their food sources or buy fish oil supplements. What if we can consume omega 3 fatty acids in products we're already eating? Andry and Carl are now working on that answer and have been working on it for the past 10 years. 

In this episode, Andry and Carl discuss their big project, why they chose the canola plant as their host, and what it took for them to get this far. They also discuss  their vision with regards to the importance of plant biotechnology in the near future.

  “We pride ourselves to create chemistry for a sustainable future.”  – Andry Andriankaja

  This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What's the project all about the issues it will address.
• What does getting more EPA and DHA have to do with canola?
• Where does this technology currently stand?
• When do they expect the product to hit the market?
• Why did they partner with Cargill?
• What made this project possible to start coming together now?
• Why did they choose EPA and DHA?
• How farmers can benefit from this project.
• How will this product influence how people view biotechnology and genetic engineering?
• Where do they see the future of biotechnology?
• Countries that are big canola producers.

Connect with Andry and Carl:

• BASF

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