Decoding the Wheat Genome
In some ways I am pleased that scientists at mine and C’s old university, Liverpool, have led a team that has decoded the wheat genome.
I could make a sarcastic comment about what good is that to me as a coeliac, but it should help to ease the problems of feeding the world. Something that is needed even more given the problems in Russia and Pakistan, which may well be repeated elsewhere. Although new varieties will come too late for the current crisis.
I do suspect though, that science that works for wheat will also work for rice, maize and the other staple cereals. This is actually confirmed in the BBC Report, which says they are less complex and have already been done.
The Anonymous Widower 
They may also be able to engineer wheat which does not contain gluten
Comment by Liz P | August 29, 2010 |
They might! But on the other hand gluten is what makes good bread. It would valso be a nightmare if you had gluten-free wheat and normal wheat, as no famer could guarantee gluten-free wheat was such. Think of all the discussions about whether oats are gluten-free and the trouble some companies go to to rnsure their oats are gluten free.
http://www.glutenfreeoats.com/
Look at their web site.
Comment by AnonW | August 29, 2010 |
That is true! I have some GF oats in the cupboard and am too scared to try them!
I have been eating the M&S bread and enjoying it, the white rolls do need toasting I think, but the brown rolls are nice. I appear to be organising the “light lunch” for coeliac etc people at a training day in September, the lady organising it rightly thought someone with CD should organise that part of the lunch – there will only be about 4 or 5 of us amongst the 40+ people there. I will use M&S rolls for the sandwiches – actually, I will find out what the rest of the buffet is, and may buy everything from M&S!
Depends what else the others are allergic to. There will probably be a nut allergy person, and I know there are a couple of dairy allergy too.
Comment by Liz P | August 29, 2010 |
I use Benecol as an alternative to butter. It may be expensive but it did lower my cholesterol.
Comment by AnonW | August 29, 2010 |
I amaze everyone by having very low cholestrol despite being diabetic, and fat, and eating a fairly high dairy diet to keep up the calcium levels. I have low BP as well.
Comment by Liz P | August 29, 2010 |
My cholesterol is not bad, I’m slim and my blood pressure is pretty normal. They worried about it being low in Hong Kong, but Addenbrookes thought it was good.
Comment by AnonW | August 29, 2010 |
The attitude of docs to low BP varies, some think it is good, some freak out, some go and find another BP cuff and take it again! It is on my notes now that mine is low, and also on my dad’s as his is very low, often only 100/55 and has been all his life.
The size of the cuff is important in BP, in US people have died as a result of the wrong size cuff being used repeatedly – too tight a cuff gives a falsely high reading. Fat people were being diagnosed with high BP and given medication, but repeat tests showed little or no change, and they were given more and more medication. When they eventually collapsed and got to A&E their BP was dangerously low – some didnt make it to A&E, they died before they got there.
Comment by Liz P | August 29, 2010 |