Arcadia Biosciences Inc. announced Monday it has been granted a patent on a strain of wheat that has increased health benefits.
The wheat strain features high levels of resistant starch, which is dietary fiber digested more slowly than regular starch. The slower digestion means slower release of sugar into the bloodstream, which in turn means a slower increase in blood sugar levels. That’s less problematic for people with diabetes, pre-diabetes and obesity.
The Davis-based company is developing the wheat using traditional hybridization techniques, not genetic modification.
Foods made with RS Wheat “may taste and perform like those made with refined wheat, but have significant additional health benefits. This could make a great contribution to global health and represents a major financial opportunity for Arcadia,” he said.
The patent — U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent 9,150,839 — is for “wheat with increased resistant starch levels.”
Aradia’s research was funded in part by a grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The wheat is still in the company’s development pipeline.
Following its initial public stock offering in May, Arcadia (Nasdaq: RKDA) sold a second batch of stock in an offering that closed in June. Together, the offerings brought in $68.2 million to help the biotechnology company grow.
Arcadia develops beneficial traits to help crops thrive in conditions that are less than ideal, such as drought, high water levels and high salinity.
Source: bizjournal.com
