Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have genetically modified a relative of the tobacco plant, Nicotiana benthamiana, to produce human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). These complex sugars are typically found in human breast milk and support healthy gut bacteria and the infant immune system. The research aims to develop infant formula that replicates the health benefits of breastfeeding more closely by incorporating these nutrients directly extracted from the genetically engineered plants. Dr. Patrick Shih, leading the project, envisions a future where all necessary HMOs could be efficiently produced in a single plant and incorporated into infant formula, though challenges in scaling and commercialization remain.
