Hub Zwart
Frans van Dam
Smartsoils |
Healthy Tomato |
Smartsoils: Scale up
of biological ground impovement from waste: From idea to successful pilot projects
Wouter van der Star |
Hub Zwart
In this session presentors will show that Life Sciences research has many
applications with clear societal relevance. Soil properties are in general accepted as they are and research is generally focused on methods to build on less suitable soils. With SmartSoils –
a Deltares development- we approach this problem differently: by actually changing soil properties thus creating “soils on demand”. By manipulating (bio)chemical reactions within the soil, sealing can take place (stopping of leakages) or carbonate is allowed to precipitate (strengthening of soil). In 2007/2008 the process was scaled up successfully from 1 L to 100 m3. The present research focus is on the use of waste materials as cheap and sustainable raw materials.
For this process, the research team has won the BBASIC Leo Petrus Innovation Trophy.
Healthy purple tomato may reduce risk of cancer
Arnaud Bovy |
Frans van Dam
Life Sciences, nutrition and health, a promising triplet. Last
fall, researchers of the John Innes Centre (UK)
and Wageningen UR published the development of
a purple tomato with added health benefits. Scientists
investigated ways to increase the levels of health-promoting
compounds in more commonly eaten fruits and vegetables, such as
tomato. Using genetic engineering, two genes from snapdragon
were introduced in tomato. This led to intensely purple fruit
due to the production of anthocyanins, purple-coloured
antioxidants found in other fruit as well.
These new tomatoes with a three-fold enhanced antioxidant capacity, significantly extended the life span of cancer-susceptible mice. The announcement in the press has led to an avalanche of media attention, in The Netherlands and abroad. Eye-catcher was the claimed health effect, especially the anti-cancer effects, as perceived in mice.
Is there a real societal need for such ‘high-vitamin’ vegetables and is GM the way forward? Arnaud Bovy will explain how and why this tomato was developed. Frans van Dam will comment on the purple tomato from a consumers perspective.
