1MG FlippingBooks
Has modern wheat breeding caused allergies? New research says no
Chanelle Mansour
New research has debunked the myth that all early varieties of wheat were less allergenic than the varieties grown on Australian farms today.
An investigation by Charles Sturt University(CSU) PhD candidate Chris Florides looked into 170 wheat varieties as part of his research through the Australian Research Council ’s (ARC) Industrial Transformation Centre for Functional Grains(FGC).
“My research examined the allergenicity of wheat varieties grown in Australia from 1860 to 2015, including some original varieties brought from England that were bred to suit Australian conditions,” says Mr Florides.
The investigation follows recent speculation that modern genetic techniques have created more allergenic wheat varieties. However, the study found that one of the most allergenic varieties was one grown in the 1800s.
Mr Florides has also developed a diagnostic method and created databases with information on the allergenicity of these wheat varieties.
“I found there is variation in the levels of allergenicity and it’s hoped varieties with a low content of immunoreactive proteins can now be used in wheat breeding programs and the ones with high content avoided,” says Mr Florides.
The research also found that climate plays a significant role in the expression of immunoreactive gluten proteins in wheat. Some varieties can synthesise more immunogenic proteins in hot weather and vice versa.
“It is not possible to develop completely non-allergenic wheat because the gluten proteins, which are responsible for the immunogenic effects of bread and other wheat products, are necessary for the functionality of the flour used to make these products,” says Mr Florides.
While completely non-allergenic wheat might be off the table as an option, it is hoped the research will contribute to the development of low-allergenic wheat that could be used to make products suitable for people who have mild gluten intolerance.
NEWS
High-precision GNSS has typically been too costly and complex for all but the most critical agricultural operations, but recent RTK GNSS innovations have made centimetre accuracy scalable to all applications in Ag-Tech. 
Every Aussie farmer knows that the difference between a “good” crop and a “record-breaking” one often come down to the smallest details. At BioFlora, we’ve spent years perfecting the balance of plant nutrition, and the result is IsoGreen – our powerhouse liquid formula designed to push your yields and crop taste to their absolute peak. 
Plant, spray and harvest with confidence using reliable centimetre level positioning. Hexagon SmartNet provides fast, accurate RTK corrections across Australia to reduce overlaps, lower input costs and maximise productivity. With no base station required, simply connect, get a fix and get to work.
Built for the demand of Aussie farmers. Designed for every day performance.
They’re wriggly black grubs more commonly tossed to backyard hens than served at the dinner table, but black soldier fly larvae could soon play a key role in building a more sustainable food system, according to new research from Adelaide University.
After four years of customer research and 500,000 test kilometres, Ford says the Ranger Super Duty brings farmer-driven customisation into the factory, with more towing, payload, and durability built in. 
