While it’s no secret that some of the most sophisticated genetic research focuses on plant biology, one of the first questions that comes up when people learn about BIOEFFECT is: Why Barley?
Barley has always played an important part in human history. Growing like a grass, it was one of the first domesticated grains, used for both food and brewing, and it contributed to a shift in human culture in Eurasian civilizations. For us, barley possesses unique characteristics, qualities that make it perfectly suited to our biotechnology needs – it is the perfect host for producing replicas of human growth factors.
First and foremost is the fact that barley is a closed biological system: it’s self-pollinating, meaning its pollen will not pollinate flowers on a different plant. Not only is interspecies cross-pollination impossible, but the barley plant will not even pollinate another, identical barley plant growing mere feet away. This is extremely important in terms of purity, but it is also vital for contained, responsible production, or “molecular farming.” With a closed system, no pollen with new genes can be spread to the flowers of other plants. This stunning fact means that BIOEFFECT can grow its twenty-five different growth factors in different barley plants, all in the same ecological greenhouse, with no risk of cross-breeding.
This doesn’t make barley unique: there are many other plants that are self-pollinating, including certain kinds of orchids, peas, and sunflowers. However, barley is also an ecologically contained system, meaning its seeds will not survive in natural habitats: it has to be cultivated to grow! This makes barley biologically and ecologically contained, able to be grown only in farmers’ fields or in our high-tech greenhouse. Barley also possesses another useful characteristic for molecular farming: it safely stores all its new proteins, including BIOEFFECT´s growth factors (one of them is EGF), in its seeds, where they are protected from breaking down or deactivating. Plants have an immense biological complexity, but in barley, BIOEFFECT found a plant whose complexity perfectly suits our biotechnology.
BIOEFFECT’S breakthrough barley moment occurred when our scientists first transferred a new gene into it in 2003. By 2006, they developed a stable replica of human growth factor for production. BIOEFFECT became the first company to produce a portfolio of human growth factors in plants, specifically barley. When companies in the US, South Korea, and Japan began putting growth factors in skincare products, using the E.coli bacteria or human tissue as a growth medium, BIOEFFECT saw an opportunity for our uniquely pure, barley-grown growth factors. In stark contrast to other skincare companies, our barley-grown growth factors carry absolutely no risk of human-transmitted diseases or bacterial endotoxins, unlike those companies that grow it in E. coli or in human cells.
When we talk about purity and efficacy at BIOEFFECT, we mean it on several levels: from our proven science, barley plant’s unique characteristics, use of few ingredients in products, to our ecological greenhouse in Iceland. We like to think that with BIOEFFECT, barley continues to play a vital role in human culture.
This year, we celebrate the scientific breakthroughs made possible by over ten years of research on the humble yet extraordinary barley plant with our EGF SERUM Special Edition. The package design, featuring bright green barley grass crisscrossing our signature green and white stripes, honors the intersection of science and botany that is BIOEFFECT’s foundation.
An instant classic upon its release, BIOEFFECT EGF Serum remains the gold standard in anti-aging and hydration. Containing our barley-grown EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), a cellular activator, it restores your skin’s radiance and moisture levels while minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.
Enjoy complimentary 5ml luxury sample of BIOEFFECT EGF Day Serum, to form the optimal EGF skincare regimen. BIOEFFECT EGF Day Serum, delivers multiple anti-aging benefits and absorbs quickly, with its smooth finish, it is ideal base for make-up or sunscreen application.
