Difference between revisions of "Team:Paris Bettencourt/Design"
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<h1 class="date one">Introduction</h1><br> | <h1 class="date one">Introduction</h1><br> | ||
− | <p>Despite many efforts from the indian government and NGO to decrease the micronutrient deficiencies in India, there are two major limitations that prevent the vast majority of the population to access sufficient sources of vitamins and iron or phytic acid: <b>cost</b>, and <b>distribution</b>. Our project proposes an elegant solution to address both those issues, via a cost-effective biosynthesis of vitamins and phytic acid by micro-organisms, which can be cultivated in everyone’s home without any need of external infrastructure. | + | <p>Despite many efforts from the indian government and NGO's to decrease the micronutrient deficiencies in India, there are two major limitations that prevent the vast majority of the population to access sufficient sources of vitamins and iron or phytic acid: <b>cost</b>, and <b>distribution</b>. Our project proposes an elegant solution to address both those issues, via a cost-effective biosynthesis of vitamins and phytic acid by micro-organisms, which can be cultivated in everyone’s home without any need of external infrastructure. |
− | <br><br>We decided to re-think the universal tradition of food fermentation | + | <br><br>We decided to re-think the universal tradition of food fermentation to expand it with new possibilities. With |
community acceptance in mind, we developed a product that can work sustainably in the hands of people with | community acceptance in mind, we developed a product that can work sustainably in the hands of people with | ||
minimal equipment, and fits equally well into the existing infrastructure set up by the Indian government to | minimal equipment, and fits equally well into the existing infrastructure set up by the Indian government to | ||
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<h1 class="date three">Distribution & Availability</h1> | <h1 class="date three">Distribution & Availability</h1> | ||
− | < | + | <br> <div class="column-left" align="justify"><b>The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) programme</b> |
− | + | <br>An important problem we wanted to tackle with our product is the access Indian people have to sources of vitamins. Indeed, we researched what structures and programs already exist in India, and found that it was a major issue. | |
− | + | ||
<br>One of the most important governmental programs for vitamin supplementation is the | <br>One of the most important governmental programs for vitamin supplementation is the | ||
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<a name="safety" class="anchor"><h1></h1></a> | <a name="safety" class="anchor"><h1></h1></a> | ||
− | <h1 class="date two">Safety & Regulations</h1> | + | <h1 class="date two" id="safety">Safety & Regulations</h1> |
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the forms of B12 present in food and supplements. | the forms of B12 present in food and supplements. | ||
<br>The same is not true of vitamin A, though: most vitamin pills contain retinol, which is the form | <br>The same is not true of vitamin A, though: most vitamin pills contain retinol, which is the form | ||
− | of vitamin A that is used by the human body, and which can be toxic at very high dose. The ß-carotene produced by our yeast though is not toxic, since the body only converts what it | + | of vitamin A that is used by the human body, and which can be toxic at very high dose. The ß-carotene produced by our yeast though is not toxic, since the body only converts what it needs into retinol. |
− | <br>The vitamin B2 that our micro-organism is producing is riboflavin, which can be toxic at very | + | <br>The vitamin B2 form that our micro-organism is producing is riboflavin, which can be toxic at very |
− | high dose. However it is very unlikely that | + | high dose. However it is very unlikely that the bacteria will produce a couple of orders of magnitude more than the daily requirement (about |
− | 1.2mg/day), | + | 1.2mg/day), contrary to the vitamin pills that often contain a |
lot more, from 10 to 100 mg. | lot more, from 10 to 100 mg. | ||
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In order to evaluate the feasibility of our product’s implementation, we researched the european and indian regulations concerning the production and distribution of genetically engineered micro-organisms. | In order to evaluate the feasibility of our product’s implementation, we researched the european and indian regulations concerning the production and distribution of genetically engineered micro-organisms. | ||
− | <br>We found that the EU directive 90/219/ | + | <br>We found that the <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/health/files/eudralex/vol-1/dir_1990_219/dir_1990_219_en.pdf">EU directive 90/219/EEC</a> of the European Economic Community relative to the contained use of GMO would allow production of this product within the european market. This directive is enforced in each of the EU member’s national regulations. |
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
− | In India, the | + | In India, the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standard Authority in India) told us that the safety is needed to be established in order for our product to be authorized. Both Dr. A. K. Sharma from the FSSAI and Dr. Sunita Grover the Dairy Microbiology Division at the National Dairy Research Institute <a href="https://2015.igem.org/Team:Paris_Bettencourt/Acceptance">advised us to chose micro-organisms that were already present in the fermented foods</a> we were targeting, which is what we did. These organisms are all in Risk Group 1 (Unlikely to cause human disease.), and have the GRAS status (Generally Considered As Safe). |
<br>We also found out that the Indian law currently doesn’t allow GM microorganisms because of the use of antibiotic markers that makes them unsafe to eat. | <br>We also found out that the Indian law currently doesn’t allow GM microorganisms because of the use of antibiotic markers that makes them unsafe to eat. | ||
− | <br>But according to Samir K. Brahmachari, former director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in India, our product has a greater chance to be authorized if there is no more live bacteria in the final form of the dish, that is actually eaten. We checked this affirmation and found out this regulation: | + | <br><br>But <a href="https://2015.igem.org/Team:Paris_Bettencourt/Acceptance">according to Samir K. Brahmachari</a>, former director of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research in India, our product has a greater chance to be authorized if there is no more live bacteria in the final form of the dish, that is actually eaten. We checked this affirmation and found out this regulation: |
<br><br><div align="center"><i>‘...food stuffs...derived from Living Modified Organisms where the end product is NOT a Living Modified Organism are exempted from mandatory approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.’</i></div> | <br><br><div align="center"><i>‘...food stuffs...derived from Living Modified Organisms where the end product is NOT a Living Modified Organism are exempted from mandatory approval of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee.’</i></div> | ||
<div align="right">Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)<br> | <div align="right">Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)<br> | ||
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<br>Since the idli is steamed for 10 to 15 minutes before it is eaten, we made an experiment to assess the presence of yeasts and bacteria in the steamed idli, and found out that the steaming process effectively sterilizes the idli and eliminates the microbes present in the batter. | <br>Since the idli is steamed for 10 to 15 minutes before it is eaten, we made an experiment to assess the presence of yeasts and bacteria in the steamed idli, and found out that the steaming process effectively sterilizes the idli and eliminates the microbes present in the batter. | ||
<br><br> | <br><br> | ||
− | <div align="center">Plates of different media, 36h after being inoculated with idli batter, before and after the batter was steamed for 10 minutes | + | <div align="center"><b>Plates of different media, 36h after being inoculated with idli batter, before and after the batter was steamed for 10 minutes</b> |
<br><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/8/82/ParisBettencourt_plate_after_cooking.png" width="800px"></img></div> | <br><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/8/82/ParisBettencourt_plate_after_cooking.png" width="800px"></img></div> | ||
+ | <br><br> | ||
+ | We can see than nothing grew in the plates inoculated with steamed idli batter, which indicates that all the micro-organisms present in the batter were killed during the steaming process. | ||
− | + | <br> | |
<a name="continuity" class="anchor"><h1></h1></a> | <a name="continuity" class="anchor"><h1></h1></a> | ||
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functions and to easily make organisms that can be homegrown and used | functions and to easily make organisms that can be homegrown and used | ||
for nutrient production. | for nutrient production. | ||
− | This way we hope that people will feel ownership on the product and | + | <br>This way we hope that people will feel ownership on the product and |
− | trust that it only serves their own interests. | + | trust that it only serves their own interests. <a href="https://2015.igem.org/Team:Paris_Bettencourt/Project/Continuity">Learn more...</a> |
</div> | </div> | ||
</html> | </html> | ||
{{Paris_Bettencourt/footer}} | {{Paris_Bettencourt/footer}} |
Latest revision as of 01:21, 21 November 2015