Korean researchers have found a new way to mass produce vaccines for pigs... against foot and mouth disease.
And they used an unusual ingredient -- tobacco leaves.
Park Se-young has more.
This factory is filled with tobacco plants.
Using the leaves of these plants, Korean researchers have developed a technology to mass produce a swine flu vaccine.
After inserting swine flu antibodies into tobacco seeds, the researchers grew the plants and extracted the antibodies from their leaves.
When infected pigs were injected with the vaccine, their temperatures dropped immediately.
At one-third the price of existing cell-based vaccines, the plant-based vaccine is safe and can be used for pork exports.
"It's much safer compared to live vaccines and can be used more easily on site. Its marker function helps us achieve FMD-free status."
Tobacco leaves can be harvested monthly since plant factories are unaffected by seasons or external conditions.
The vaccine provides a healthy way to utilize the tobacco plant.
"Instead of consuming tobacco the usual way, we can introduce techniques like protein extraction and vaccine production to create added values."
The manufacturing technique for plant-derived vaccines could be applied to the production of other medicines or for cosmetics.
Park Se-young, Arirang News.
