Taste the future: Biotech crops are changing way real people eat, including you

Family Features Editorial Syndicate

An apple a day might keep the doctor away, but what about a tomato that could help fight cancer? Scientists are using biotechnology in an attempt to create even healthier foods for the future.

Seventy percent of foods in the supermarket already contain biotech ingredients. Current products of biotechnology help farmers produce greater yields, help crops resist pests or weed killers and/or reduce the environmental impact of agriculture. The next wave of biotechnology is aimed at bringing higher quality and more nutritious foods to American consumers.

For example, through the tools of biotechnology healthier oils with higher levels of heart-healthy oleic acids and reduced levels of trans fats are already on the market. Field trials are being conducted on cancer-fighting tomatoes, which contain 3.5 times the usual amount of the antioxidant lycopene. Additionally, research under way could eliminate life-threatening allergies to peanuts and shrimp. Other developments will increase the vitamin content of foods, help produce stay fresher longer or protect plants from diseases.

We invite you to “taste the future” by sampling the following dishes. Each recipe features biotech ingredients that either are already available at your local supermarket or are currently in development.

For more information, visit www.whybiotech.com.

Caf/ Annie Agua de Melon

1 cantaloupe, cubed

1 cup granulated sugar

3 cups water

Juice of 1 lime

Raspberries to garnish

Mint sprigs to garnish

Combine cantaloupe, sugar, water and lime juice in blender. Blend until smooth, passing liquid through sieve to remove any unblended pieces. Chill. Garnish with raspberries and mint sprigs.

Yield: 6 servings

Biotech cantaloupe varieties have been developed to resist damaging viruses in order to reduce spoilage and extend shelf life.

Caf/ Annie Poached Shrimp with Zucchini Salad, Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing

Poached Shrimp

16 large shrimp, shell on

2 teaspoons coarse salt

Zucchini Salad

2 zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes or julienned

4 red radishes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes or julienned

1/2 white onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

1 serrano chile, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 cup hulled toasted pumpkin seeds

1 ounce cilantro, chopped

1 to 2 serrano chile(s), chopped with seeds

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Salt, to taste

  • Poached shrimp: Place shrimp in saucepan, add water to just cover. Add salt. Bring water to boil, then remove pan from heat. After 1 minute, drain water. Allow shrimp to cool in pot. Peel when cool.

  • Zucchini Salad: Combine cubed vegetables with serrano chile and cilantro. Toss with olive oil, lime juice and salt.

  • Creamy Pumpkin Seed Dressing: Combine all ingredients in food processor. Process until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes. Dressing will be pale, flecked green and lightly thickened.

    Yield: 4 servings

    Already available are varieties of biotech squash and zucchini that resist damaging diseases. Additionally, researchers have identified the enzymes in onions that spark tears and are working to provide tear-free onions. Finally, allergen-free shrimp are in development.

    Caf/ Annie Chicken Breasts with Corn Pudding, Red Chile Sauce

    Chicken Breasts

    8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

    2 tablespoons soybean oil

    1 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

    Red Chile Sauce

    1 tablespoon soybean oil

    3/4 ounce guajillo chiles or New Mexico red chiles, seeded and chopped

    1 cup chopped yellow onion

    4 garlic cloves, chopped

    1 large tomato, quartered

    2 thick, white corn tortillas, cut into strips

    6 allspice berries

    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

    3 cups chicken broth

    1 teaspoon salt

    Corn Pudding

    6 ears yellow corn, shucked

    2 tablespoons butter

    1 teaspoon salt

    4 dried corn husks, tied at one end

    Papaya-Avocado Relish

    1 papaya, diced

    1 avocado, diced

    1/2 white onion, minced

    2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

    1 serrano chile, minced

    1 teaspoon lime juice

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    Pinch pepper

    Queso fresco to garnish

    Cilantro springs to garnish

  • Chicken Breasts: Rub chicken breasts with soybean oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in pan coated with cooking spray. Broil until well browned. Bake at 275¡F for 30 to 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

  • Red Chile Sauce: Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add chopped guajillo chiles and saut/ until lightly toasted. Add onions, garlic, tomatoes, tortillas and spices. Gently saut/ until onion and tortillas are golden brown. Add chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil, lower heat to simmer. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature. Once cool, blend mixture until smooth. Return to original skillet, add salt and bring to simmer.

  • Corn Pudding: Cut kernels from cob. Process kernels in food processor into coarse puree. In skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add corn puree to melted butter, slowly heat while stirring until corn thickens. Stir in salt. Spoon corn pudding into cornhusks.

  • Papaya-Avocado Relish: Gently toss together relish ingredients.

    Warm pudding in corn husks in 350¡F oven. Spoon red chile sauce and papaya-avocado relish over chicken breast. Garnish with queso fresco and cilantro sprigs.

    Yield: 8 servings

    Biotech corn and sweet corn varieties are available. Some are tolerant to herbicides, allowing less plowing. Others resist damaging insects. New research also would enhance corn and other produce with higher levels of vitamin E, as well as other vitamins and minerals. A biotech papaya already on the market protects itself from a disease that nearly wiped out the Hawaiian papaya industry. Healthier soybean oil with lower levels of trans fats also has reached the marketplace. In addition to the cancer-fighting tomato, biotech varieties with built-in insect resistance and delayed-ripening traits are in development.

    Recipes developed by Chef Robert Del Grande, Caf/ Annie, Houston, Texas.

    		•