Agricultural technology company Arcadia Biosciences (NASDAQ:RKDA) has today announced the successful development of a new type of wheat which delivers a host of significant health benefits – and their stock price has surged by 303%.
Share value reached a peak of $46.76 USD this morning, up from Tuesday’s closing time price of $11.592. At the time of writing, shares are valued at $35.44, which still holds a huge 24-hour increase of 205.7%. Arcadia’s market cap is now valued at $82.6M USD.
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It goes without saying that Arcadia’s news is quite important in order to get investors this excited. The new type of wheat, known as High Fiber Resistant Starch (RS) wheat, contains high levels of certain nutrients which provide extensive health benefits such as:
- Aiding in the management of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimers
- Increased absorption of calcium, which is essential for bone growth and strength
- Improved weight loss, as it causes someone eating it to feel more full
- Potentially reducing body fat due to increased production of butyrate
What makes this a milestone is that the company has developed this wonder wheat without the use of genetic modifiers. This is crucial, as genetically modified (GM) wheat is not well-received by consumers, who tend to prefer naturally-grown products instead. The second milestone is that this new RS wheat meets the US Food and Drug Administration’s threshold for a ‘High in Fiber‘ designation – considered an important aspect by consumers as this will improve gut health. This also has the added benefit of allowing producers to reduce the amount of fiber additives in the product ingredients.
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The wheat is the result of a program involving ‘advanced screening and traditional breeding techniques’, which, says Arcadia CEO Raj Ketkar, ‘will allow people to enjoy the foods they love with the health benefits of resistant starch and dietary fiber, while satisfying consumer demand for clean-label, natural foods.’
The RS wheat can potentially be used to improve any food which contains wheat. To that end, Arcadia are working with a number of consumer packaged goods companies to deliver new, healthier products. Expecting a rise in demand, the company are also increasing the acres planted during the upcoming wheat season in the US.
Featured image: RioGrandeAgricola
