Pea Starch Resistant to Digestion via SBE1 Mutation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack understanding of how starch structure in food interacts with the gut luminal environment to control postprandial glucose levels, and there is a need for foods that can reduce postprandial glucose spikes, particularly from carbohydrate-rich foods like peas, to combat rising non-communicable diseases.
Innovation Solution
Identifying and developing pea varieties with loss of function mutations in the starch branching enzyme I (SBE1) gene that increase resistant starch levels, which are resistant to digestion, and processing methods to maintain cellular and starch granule structure to enhance digestion properties, such as rough milling to retain intact cells, thereby reducing postprandial glucose levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional pea varieties are used, then carbohydrate content is high, but postprandial glucose levels increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the starch structure through loss of function mutations in the SBE1 gene, which alters the branching pattern of starch molecules. This genetic modification changes the physical and chemical parameters of starch to create resistant starch that resists digestion, thereby maintaining carbohydrate content while reducing postprandial glucose response
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the typically harmful rapid digestion of starch into a beneficial resistant starch structure. By disrupting the SBE1 enzyme function, the starch that would normally be quickly broken down into glucose is instead transformed into a resistant form that mimics dietary fiber, turning a glucose-spiking carbohydrate into a glucose-stabilizing food component
2Reliability
If starch structure is modified to increase resistant starch, then digestion resistance improves, but understanding of gut luminal interaction is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by genetically modifying the starch structure before the food reaches the gut environment. The SBE1 mutation is introduced during plant cultivation, pre-configuring the starch to be resistant to digestion before it encounters gastrointestinal enzymes, thus eliminating the need to understand complex gut luminal interactions to achieve digestion resistance
3Reliability
If processing methods are used to maintain cellular structure, then digestion properties improve, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the digestion resistance property directly from the genetic level by isolating and propagating pea varieties with SBE1 loss of function mutations. This eliminates the need for complex processing methods to maintain cellular structure, as the resistance is inherently built into the starch molecules themselves through genetic modification rather than physical or chemical processing
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to methods for determining if a pea variety or a product derived from that pea variety has improved digestion properties. The invention also relates to methods of improving the digestion property of a pea, as well as method of making such plants.