Review on Edible Vaccines

Abstract

The term edible vaccines (EVs) refers to any food; usually plants that produce vitamins, proteins or other nutrients that act as a vaccine against a specific disease. When oral ingestion of the herb, fruit, or herb related product stimulates the immune system. EVs hold great promise as a inexpensive, easy administration, secure, & culturally easily acceptable vaccine delivery method, especially for developing countries such as India. EVs is developed using genetic engineering technology which uses various methods to insert the necessary genes into the plants. The encoded protein which acts as a vaccine is then released by this genetically modified plant. It became a reality today, as a idea about a decade ago. A series of delivery systems were built. Initially thought to be only useful in the prevention of infectious diseases, it also used in prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancer therapy, etc. EVs are currently being developed for a number of human beings & animal diseases. Resistance to genetically modified (GM) foods may have an impact on the future of edible vaccines. Various technical barriers, regulatory & non-scientific challenges, although all seem to be surmountable, need to be overcome.