Plant-derived omega-3 oil on the horizon

In June 2024, Rothamsted Research granted US-based company Yield10 Biosciences Inc an exclusive global commercial licence for the technology behind their Camelina-derived omega-3 oil.

Professor Johnathan Napier has been developing this technology for over 20 years. He and his team genetically engineered Camelina, a type of oilseed crop used to produce vegetable oil and animal feed.

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are essential for overall health and well-being. Traditionally, EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids are sourced from ocean-caught fish. Rising demand has accelerated the need for a sustainable alternative source that doesn’t harm fish stocks. The team inserted algal genes that are naturally responsible for synthesising omega-3s into Camelina, allowing it to produce a seed oil containing the fatty acids.

Field trials of the engineered Camelina in the UK, USA and Canada showed the plant was able to stably produce omega-3 oils. The oil was tested in animal feeding and human dietary studies to ensure its efficacy.

Yield10 started to collaborate with Rothamsted on the project in 2021, helping to progress from small field trials to multi-acre scale production whilst simultaneously addressing the regulatory pathway to enable unrestricted commercial scale production. Yield10 received approval by the regulator USDA in 2024 meaning that the omega-3 Camelina can now be grown without restriction in the USA. Yield10 subsequently granted Nuseed, a global seed company, a commercial licence to further advance the project to commercial launch and to further develop the Rothamsted omega-3 technology.

This research was funded by BBSRC via institute project funding, Follow-on Fund (FOF), Super FOF, FOF Pathfinder, and Industrial Partnership Awards.