FDA approves genetically engineered pigs for food and transplants
Source: Live Science
Pigs that have been genetically engineered to be free of a molecule that triggers meat allergies have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
On Monday (Dec. 14), the agency approved these swine, known as GalSafe pigs, for both human food consumption and potential therapeutic purposes, such as use in xenotransplantation (or transplants of pig tissues to people). It's the first time that a genetically engineered animal has been approved for both food and medical uses, the FDA said.
"Today's first ever approval of an animal biotechnology product for both food and as a potential source for biomedical use represents a tremendous milestone for scientific innovation," FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, said in a statement.
Scientists have genetically altered the GalSafe pigs so they lack a sugar molecule called alpha-gal, which is normally found in the tissue of some mammals, including pigs, cows and sheep. People with a meat allergy known as alpha-gal syndrome can develop serious, life-threatening reactions if they are exposed to this molecule. It's thought that people develop this meat allergy after being bitten by certain ticks, which have alpha-gal in their saliva.
Read more: https://www.livescience.com/genetically-engineered-pigs-fda-approval.html
Arne
(2,027 posts)Now please eradicate all ticks, starting in Old Lyme.
(I was born there)
krispos42
(49,445 posts)Scientists genetically engineer a pig that chews it's cud, like a cow does. Make the pig extract more calories per pound of food. Anyway, during the press conference about it, a reporter that's Jewish asks "It is kosher, then?"
The rest of the story is about a rabbi trying to figure out if it's kosher.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)He decides it's kosher, so him and his family try some. They decided the pork and ham and bacon was tasty, but it still felt wrong.
Kittycow
(2,396 posts)I can see how they would be feeling strange about it; I feel that way about these designer pigs
Thanks for the reply; I think I'll try to find the story!
rickyhall
(4,889 posts)tclambert
(11,087 posts)Response to tclambert (Reply #6)
CatLady78 This message was self-deleted by its author.
GReedDiamond
(5,313 posts)...keep in my apartment, kinda like my cat, but I could carve off a pork chop or rib or tenderloin or whatever I wanted, and the "pig" would grow back whatever I cut off, so I could cut it off again, in a day or two.
CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)Some new Hollywood noses will look more obvious in the future.