Calyxt Produces 1,200 Tons of High-Oleic Soybeans in U.S.
MINNEAPOLIS & ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Calyxt,
Inc., a Minnesota-based company developing healthier food products
to benefit both consumers and growers, today announced that the Company
has completed the 2016 expansion of its high-oleic/no trans-fat soybean
variety (CAL1501) in the U.S. with a production of 1,200 tons of beans.
In Spring 2016, Calyxt planted 942 acres (381 hectares) in six U.S.
states – Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota and
Wisconsin. To date, the Company has harvested approximately 45,000
bushels. We intent to use a substantial portion of the harvest for a
first industrial scale crush.
The high-oleic/low saturated fat oil from this new variety of soybean,
with a high-oleic acid content, is designed to eliminate the need for
hydrogenation, a process that improves heat stability and shelf life of
conventional soybean oil. The process of hydrogenation contributes to
the production of trans-fatty acids, which, when consumed, raises
low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol levels and contributes to
cardiovascular diseases.
Based on a thorough review of the scientific evidence, the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration announced that partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs),
the primary dietary source of artificial trans-fat in processed foods,
are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in human food and should
be banned by 2018. Calyxt’s variety of soybeans has a fatty acid profile
that’s very similar to that of olive oil, with the added benefit of an
approximate 20 percent decrease in saturated fatty acids compared to
standard soybean oil.
“The Calyxt team is dedicated to bringing to market food ingredients
with healthier characteristics for consumers, and given that the food
industry needs to remove trans-fat from products while maintaining high
heat performance, high-oleic soybean varieties fulfill a large need for
the food sector,” said Federico Tripodi, Calyxt’s CEO. “Most
importantly, with this year’s high quality production, Calyxt is in a
prime position to gain scale to commercialize this product in a near
future.”
In mid-2015, Calyxt received two letters from the USDA confirming that
the Company’s high-oleic and low-linolenic varieties are non-regulated,
as no foreign DNA is added in the development process.
About Calyxt
Calyxt,
Inc. is a fast-growing, consumer-oriented ag company that utilizes
its innovative, patented TALEN® technology to usher in
a new era of agriculture and develop crop products with healthier
characteristics for consumers – all the while helping farmers and food
and agriculture industries reduce their environmental footprints in the
context of climate change. Calyxt believes that agricultural
technologies can have a profound, positive impact on humanity and is
looking to engage those who share this passion for food and agriculture.
Calyxt is located in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., and is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Cellectis.
For further information please visit our website: www.calyxt.com
Calyxt™ and the corporate logo are trademarks owned by Calyxt, Inc.
Talking about gene editing? We do it.
TALEN® is a registered trademark owned by the Cellectis Group.
Contacts
For Calyxt
Media
Jennifer Moore, 917-580-1088
VP
Communications
media@calyxt.com
or
Caitlin
Kasunich, 212-896-1241
KCSA Strategic Communications
ckasunich@kcsa.com
or
Investor
Relations
Simon Harnest, 646-385-9008
VP Corporate
Strategy and Finance
simon.harnest@cellectis.com
