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Food Lipids: Chemistry, Nutrition, and Biotechnology

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29<br />

Biosynthesis of Fatty Acids <strong>and</strong><br />

Storage <strong>Lipids</strong> in Oil-Bearing Seed<br />

<strong>and</strong> Fruit Tissues of Plants<br />

KIRK L. PARKIN<br />

University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin<br />

I. INTRODUCTION<br />

Upon arriving at this chapter, the reader may immediately react by questioning the<br />

relevance of fatty acid <strong>and</strong> triacylglycerol biosynthesis to mainstream food science.<br />

‘‘Is that not better left to the biochemists?’’ might be a common retort. One challenge<br />

assumed by the author in agreeing to prepare this chapter is to convince the reader<br />

that it is important for food scientists to have a working knowledge of lipid biosynthesis.<br />

The next paragraph is intended to provide the initial fiber for this argument.<br />

The conclusion of this chapter (Sec. VI) strives to reinforce the argument by identifying<br />

examples of how food science research can be put to use for improving food<br />

quality, provided new knowledge can be transmitted (through genetic manipulation)<br />

or interpreted within the context of a working knowledge of lipid biosynthesis.<br />

The ever increasing specialization within scientific disciplines makes it increasingly<br />

difficult to sustain an active integration between production <strong>and</strong> postproduction<br />

sciences. Disciplines focused on postproduction utilization of bioresources are typically<br />

placed in a reactionary position in dealing with issues <strong>and</strong> problems in agriculture.<br />

As a discipline, food science has historically been resigned to attempt to<br />

accomodate the compositional <strong>and</strong> associated nascent qualities of any primal food<br />

resource, with the goal of promoting, improving, or maintaining quality during any<br />

further transformation into comestibles.<br />

The emergence of biotechnology, <strong>and</strong> specifically, genetic manipulation of organisms,<br />

provides renewed opportunities for food scientists to lend perspective toward<br />

efforts directed at genetically manipulating various traits of bioresources to<br />

Copyright 2002 by Marcel Dekker, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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