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2015 all members of the United Nations Member States signed a global partnership that aimed to create peace and prosperity for the planet, called "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developemnt". This agreement includes 17 different Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, that aim to improve the life and health of earth. iGEM as a competition aims to use syntehtic biology as a way to imporve on all different aspects of the world, which goes along with the message of the SDGs. Below you can read how our project, SoDoVi, could be a part of the solution for some of these goals.
Please scroll down, or click one of the goals below, to read more about our work!
The SDG goal "Zero Hunger" is not only to end starvation, but also to end malnutrition. There is currently a scarcity not only in calories, but in the vitamins and minerals our bodies need in order to stay healthy. SoDoVi tackles this problem with two important vitamins, Vitamin B12 and A. Vitamin B12 which is commonly only derived from animal products can be seen as a luxury vitamin as easy access to animal products is not a global certainty. Globally there is however a greater deficiency in vitamin A.
Health comes from several different aspects of life, from an active life style, mental health awareness and what you eat. All of these different components need to be integarted and routinely practiced in order for you to feel your best. For many it's this routine that can be hard to accomplish. With SoDoVi all of those who normally eat breakfast with bread, or consume other products which uses raising agents, could increase their nturient uptake without having to greatly alter their everday way of life. A greater amount of vitamin A and B12 will lead to a healthier population with minimal alteration to current cultures surrounding food.
What kind of foods we have access to is greatly associated with our socioeconomic status and income. Fresh produce can be scarce, and even if available, one of the most expensive food options one can purchase. Bread is a staple product that can cheaply be made with very simple ingredients, and furher on be sold for a relatively low price. Our product, SoDoVi, could become an industry standard and ensure that even if you can't afford the most nutritous food, bread will supply you with the daily intake of essential vitamins and minerals. SoDoVi could help ensure that communities around the world, no matter poverty, could be a reliable access to essential vitamins. The product also removes the reliance on synthetic production of supplements, which are usually expensive.
One big motivation for SoDoVi is to remove our reliance on animal based foods for essential vitamins. Animal husbandry represents 80% of the food sector's total greenhouse emissions, and 77% of its land area use (ourworldindata). If we can create an easy and appealing alternative to eating animal based foods to obtain B12, such as bread, it would hopefully make the transition to plant based foods easier and tastier. By doing so, the land usage for food production can be reduced.