Genetic engineering taking off

Most commercial releases of GMOs so far have been more or less simple plug and play transgene additions, e.g. herbicide resistance. A new soybean cultivar, on track for release in 2009, appears to involve more sophisticated metabolic engineering. Most vegetable oils have to be modified by hydrogenation in order to make them stable against chemical breakdown, with negative health side effects (the production of trans fats). This new soybean cultivar has oils that are already stable and won't require hydrogenation. I expect we'll see increasingly complex biochemical engineering in the near future.

Just in time to adapt to global warming! or cooling... or whatever...