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From the we-don't-need-your-stinkin-GMO department, the Beeb reports that "Scientists have successfully decoded the genome of quinoa, one of the world's most nutritious but underutilised crops." The team was led by Mark Tester in Saudi Arabia.
The South American grain is a hugely popular "super-food" because it is well balanced and gluten-free. However, prices for quinoa have rocketed in recent years as demand exceeded supply. Researchers believe the genetic code will rapidly lead to more productive varieties that will push down costs.
They go on to say that the genome will be used to direct conventional plant breeding methods. Several traits of the 7000 year old South American grain would improve its utility such as reducing the level of saponins which make it bitter. Also, varieties could be bred for other climates. The plant is naturally able to grow in salty soils and another goal is to breed tolerance to irrigation with brackish water (partially desalinated sea water).
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 09 2017, @03:51PM
Am I the only one who's getting tired of reading that foods which aren't wheat are gluten-free?
For today's menu, gluten-free oatmeal for breakfast with gluten-free strawberries and gluten-free milk. Dinner will see a gluten-free salad with gluten-free lettuces, gluten-free spinach, gluten-free carrots, and gluten-free radishes drizzled with gluten-free vinaigrette, and for supper will be a gluten-free roast with gluten-free sweet potatoes and gluten-free string beans with a bit of gluten-free butter.
Oh, and gluten-free tea with breakfast and gluten-free, freshly squeezed lemonade with just barely a pinch of gluten-free sugar for the afternoon. Tomorrow there will be time for gluten-free quinoa and gluten-free amaranth, possibly with gluten-free chicken chili tamales wrapped in gluten-free corn husks.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 09 2017, @03:58PM
> Am I the only one who's getting tired of reading that foods which aren't wheat are gluten-free?
Yes.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 09 2017, @07:40PM
XKCD [xkcd.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 09 2017, @09:07PM
And another [xkcd.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 10 2017, @06:57AM
About 1 percent of people in the USA have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease in which consuming gluten triggers an immune repsonse that destroys the lining of the intestines (along with other bad things). And another 1-3 percent have wheat allergies of one kind or another. And when you factor in family members who also need to avoid gluten and wheat to avoid cross-contamination into the food of their loved ones, you're talking about at least 5% of the population for whom avoiding gluten is essential.
It may seem annoying to you to have such labels, but it is vitally important for those who need to avoid gluten for legitimate medical reasons. It may also seem ridiculous to you that foods that are obviously gluten free would carry such labels, but you'd be surprised at how many things that "shouldn't" have gluten sometimes end up having it in. Ketchup, frozen french fries, and frozen vegetables, just to name a few, are foods I've seen within just the last month or two that unexpectedly had gluten in them.
It's funny you mentioned salad and oatmeal because are often problem foods. Lots of salads are served with croutons (gluten). You can't just pick off the croutons because the crumbs left behind are enough to trigger an autoimmune repsonse. Almost all oatmeal has gluten in it because the oats are grown in fields that are rotated between wheat and oats--just the little bit of wheat that ends up after harvesting the oats is enough to cause problems. Gluten free oatmeal can be quite a bit more expensive than regular oatmeal because it has to be grown on fields where farmers do not rotate crops as normal.
My son was diagnosed withe celiac disease as a three year old. He will always have it and will always need to eat a strictly gluten free diet for the rest of his life. It's heartbreaking to see him cry or just slump his shoulders in disappointment when all the other kids at the birthday party or in his class get to eat the treat that he can't (and yes, whenever we know ahead of time we make sure he has an gluten free alternative to eat instead, but it makes him the only kid with something different and we don't always know ahead of time). How do you think it feels for people like him to hear self-righteous, sanctimonious mockery of gluten free eating and of food manufacturers just doing someting to try and make his life a little easier?
Please have a heart and stop with the mockey of gluten free eating and food labeling.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 10 2017, @04:22PM
> ... stop with the mockey of gluten free eating
OK, we'll mock your spelling instead... are you from New England where pronunciation is xor "r"?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 13 2017, @06:34AM
Weak. That's the best comeback you've got?
Even better is the spelling mistake in your response trying to mock someone else's spelling.