Gene Transfer and Modulation for the Production of Food with Enhanced Quali-Quantitative Values: Potentials, Promises and Achievements

We present an overview of the research and achievements of applications of molecular tools based on gene transfer and gene modulation (gene knock-down and knock-out), aimed at enhancing food production, improving food properties and producing various valuable compounds for human nutrition. Selected cases of genetically manipulated plants (biofortification and allergene silencing) and animals (fish and livestock) are examined. Promises and accomplishments are considered when giving topic examples of the potentials offered by some applications of molecular biology for obtaining goods, among them milk, with enhanced value, and of their impact on society at large.