Genetically engineered salmon? Other animals?

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

I'd like to know more than just "genetically modified." Some GMO foods I might be fine with, if I know enough about it, others maybe not. I think ideally the label would say GMO or contains GMO ingredients, with a URL you could go to for more information about what organisms they're getting the genes from, and what those genes do.

The article I saw about the salmon mentioned the insertion of genes from Pacific salmon, which I didn't think should bother me, and a fish called "pout," which I never heard of. According to Wikipedia, the ocean pout has antifreeze proteins in its blood--well, I don't want antifreeze in my food, was my initial thought. But I read a little further and it's the promoter for the antifreeze protein (so, not the antifreeze itself) that is being transplanted into the GMO Atlantic salmon, to push the growth hormones produced by the borrowed Pacific salmon genes into the bloodstream of the GMO Atlantic salmon faster.

I'm going to have to think about that. I buy organic dairy when I can, because I'd like to avoid being part of the great national experiment in which we're all consuming historically high levels of rGBH, but I'm not obsessive about it--I buy the cheeses I want, and I don't often see many options in organic cheese. And I buy ice cream, which I don't see in organic varieties (and if I did, I bet it wouldn't come in Boom Chocolatta Cookie Core flavor--just checked, and Ben & Jerry tout non-GMO ingredients, cage-free hens, and Fair Trade sugar and vanilla, but merely "happy" cows, not rGBH-free cows). Of course, salmon isn't nearly as big a part of my diet as dairy, so a little extra fish growth hormone from time to time is probably not going to mess with my hormones too much. Anyway, I try to buy wild salmon when I can, so the GMO thing is even less of an issue for me (until a few of the laboratory fish escape: "Jurassic Salmon Run").

rankinsect wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

I'd like to know more than just "genetically modified." Some GMO foods I might be fine with, if I know enough about it, others maybe not. I think ideally the label would say GMO or contains GMO ingredients, with a URL you could go to for more information about what organisms they're getting the genes from, and what those genes do.

The article I saw about the salmon mentioned the insertion of genes from Pacific salmon, which I didn't think should bother me, and a fish called "pout," which I never heard of. According to Wikipedia, the ocean pout has antifreeze proteins in its blood--well, I don't want antifreeze in my food, was my initial thought. But I read a little further and it's the promoter for the antifreeze protein (so, not the antifreeze itself) that is being transplanted into the GMO Atlantic salmon, to push the growth hormones produced by the borrowed Pacific salmon genes into the bloodstream of the GMO Atlantic salmon faster.

I'm going to have to think about that. I buy organic dairy when I can, because I'd like to avoid being part of the great national experiment in which we're all consuming historically high levels of rGBH, but I'm not obsessive about it--I buy the cheeses I want, and I don't often see many options in organic cheese. And I buy ice cream, which I don't see in organic varieties (and if I did, I bet it wouldn't come in Boom Chocolatta Cookie Core flavor--just checked, and Ben & Jerry tout non-GMO ingredients, cage-free hens, and Fair Trade sugar and vanilla, but merely "happy" cows, not rGBH-free cows). Of course, salmon isn't nearly as big a part of my diet as dairy, so a little extra fish growth hormone from time to time is probably not going to mess with my hormones too much. Anyway, I try to buy wild salmon when I can, so the GMO thing is even less of an issue for me (until a few of the laboratory fish escape: "Jurassic Salmon Run").

For the most part, it doesn't matter what's in the animal as long as you're not injecting it into your bloodstream. With very few exceptions, proteins don't cross the intestinal walls except after being fragmented into tiny pieces by proteases and then absorbed as amino acids. Our bodies are very good at not permitting the proteins we ingest - which have wide varieties of biological functions - to interfere with our own biological processes.

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

rankinsect wrote: »

lynn_glenmont wrote: »

I'd like to know more than just "genetically modified." Some GMO foods I might be fine with, if I know enough about it, others maybe not. I think ideally the label would say GMO or contains GMO ingredients, with a URL you could go to for more information about what organisms they're getting the genes from, and what those genes do.

The article I saw about the salmon mentioned the insertion of genes from Pacific salmon, which I didn't think should bother me, and a fish called "pout," which I never heard of. According to Wikipedia, the ocean pout has antifreeze proteins in its blood--well, I don't want antifreeze in my food, was my initial thought. But I read a little further and it's the promoter for the antifreeze protein (so, not the antifreeze itself) that is being transplanted into the GMO Atlantic salmon, to push the growth hormones produced by the borrowed Pacific salmon genes into the bloodstream of the GMO Atlantic salmon faster.

I'm going to have to think about that. I buy organic dairy when I can, because I'd like to avoid being part of the great national experiment in which we're all consuming historically high levels of rGBH, but I'm not obsessive about it--I buy the cheeses I want, and I don't often see many options in organic cheese. And I buy ice cream, which I don't see in organic varieties (and if I did, I bet it wouldn't come in Boom Chocolatta Cookie Core flavor--just checked, and Ben & Jerry tout non-GMO ingredients, cage-free hens, and Fair Trade sugar and vanilla, but merely "happy" cows, not rGBH-free cows). Of course, salmon isn't nearly as big a part of my diet as dairy, so a little extra fish growth hormone from time to time is probably not going to mess with my hormones too much. Anyway, I try to buy wild salmon when I can, so the GMO thing is even less of an issue for me (until a few of the laboratory fish escape: "Jurassic Salmon Run").

For the most part, it doesn't matter what's in the animal as long as you're not injecting it into your bloodstream. With very few exceptions, proteins don't cross the intestinal walls except after being fragmented into tiny pieces by proteases and then absorbed as amino acids. Our bodies are very good at not permitting the proteins we ingest - which have wide varieties of biological functions - to interfere with our own biological processes.

As I said, it reportedly is the promoter for the pout antifreeze protein that is being inserted into the GMO Atlantic salmon, resulting in an increase in growth hormone. It is the growth hormone I'm concerned about, not the protein that isn't even at issue, anyway. I thought I was pretty clear. I'm sorry for the confusion.

EFSA’s NDA and GMO Panels have issued a joint opinion on the safety of ice structuring proteins (ISPs) for use in foods. ISPs are naturally produced by a variety of living organisms – including certain fish, plants and vegetables - to help them cope with very cold environments by lowering the temperature at which ice crystals form.

A technique has been developed to add ISPs to ice cream in order to control the formation of ice crystals during manufacture permitting a creamy consistency with lower fat content. The technique involves production of the isolated proteins using a genetically modified strain of baker’s yeast – a system common in the production of vitamins and enzymes. The protein produced does not contain any residual modified yeast cells or detectable recombinant DNA.

A food manufacturer has submitted an application under the Novel Food Regulation to use ISPs as a food ingredient by applying this technique. The European Commission asked EFSA to review the evidence regarding the safety of ISPs including scientific arguments raised by Member States during the regulatory commenting period.

EFSA’s NDA and GMO Panels concluded that the proposed use of ISPs – in ice cream at no more than 0.01% of weight - is safe subject to the specification and production practices described by the applicant. The Panels found no evidence of genotoxic activity in a variety of trials. Based on a range of test results, the risk of an allergic reaction in fish-allergic people or the population at large is considered very unlikely, as is the possibility that allergic reactions to yeast allergens could occur due to eating the ISP-containing products.

Ice structuring proteins are already consumed as part of the human diet - they have been found in common foods such as oats, rye, wheat, barley, carrot, potato and cold water fish. No safety issues have been reported either from consuming natural dietary sources or through the addition of ISPs to foods, which is authorised in countries including the United States, Australia and New Zealand. If added to ice cream, expected EU consumer intake through this source would be well within the current estimated levels of dietary exposure.

emtjmac wrote: »

Creating genetically modified salmon by splicing it with another creatures DNA is not the same as selectively breeding chickens to have larger breasts over time. This trend is insidious and disgusting and has nothing to do with the best interests of any of us.