And Now...Genetically Engineered Goats!
On Friday (of course), the FDA approved the first genetically modified goats. These have been bioengineered with a human gene that makes the anti-clotting protein, antithrombin. The goats excrete this protein into their milk (I hope their babies aren’t drinking this milk).
Antithrombin ordinarily has to be extracted from human plasma, an unreliable source. This way, if more antithrombin is needed, the company that invented this scheme (GTC Biotherapeutics) just milks more goats.
The FDA had previously approved doing things like this in theory, but this is the first practical application. Some antithrombin with your goat cheese, anyone?
Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health and Professor of Sociology at New York University. Her degrees include a Ph.D. in molecular biology and an M.P.H. in public health nutrition, both from the University of California, Berkeley.
She is the author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bioterrorism and What to Eat.
You can read her Food Politics blog here:
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