October 8, 2014

 

Now, better meat quality through GM livestock

 

 

Scientists have introduced genome editing, a procedure which may be able to help produce better qualities of meat and milk through the genetic manipulation of livestock, according to the September article of MIT Technology Review.

 

In genome editing, specific modifications are implemented in the nucleotide sequence of the genome, and is said to be a quick and accurate process of altering livestock DNA.

 

So far, supporters of this recent development claim that food safety will not be compromised.

 

"We have been doing it for a long time in plants," said Jennifer Bormann, an associate professor of animal breeding and genetics. She added that the same product could be developed without gene-editing, citing traditional breeding as an example which would take years to produce a specific gene.

 

"When changing one specific gene, all other genes are unaffected. It would be possible to change a gene that affects meat or milk. If, for example, you wanted to make the meat tenderer, you might change a gene that has been proven to make meat tender," Boorman explains.

 

Scott Fahrenkrug, a molecular geneticist and the CEO of Recombinetics, is optimistic that genome editing is able to improve animal welfare. Dairy cattle can be produced without horns, thus eliminating the unpleasant process of manual dehorning.

 

However, there remains a strong opposition to genetically-modified (GM) food. Although scientist and industry professionals vouch for the safety of consuming such products, an ABC News poll shows that barely more than a third of the public are supportive.

 

In addition, a further challenge to genome-editing is dependent on the response of the FDA in US. The organisation has yet to approve any GMO animal food to be made available to the public and is still deciding an appropriate approach towards products which are developed through the technology.    

 

While the FDA states that it reserves the right to regulate gene-editing, Fahrenkrug argues that the procedure involves just changing traits within a species and, therefore, need not be regulated. "We're talking about genes that already exist in a species we already eat," he explained.

 

Despite its present position on GM animal food, the FDA recognises the potential of genome-editing, stating in a fact sheet (released in May this year) that the global food production may improve with the introduction of genetically-modified livestock.

 

"(Genetically-engineered) animals with new traits for disease resistance, or drought and heat tolerance, may allow for high quality food to be produced in parts of the world where disease, climate or accessibility of forage material have previously limited the ability to raise food animals," the report said.

 

In the meantime, genome-editing receives support from certain parties within the private sector, particularly major breeding companies such as Genus which has invested in Recombinetics' laboratory research. Said Jonathan Lightner, Genus' R&D chief, "There may be an opportunity for a different public acceptance dialogue and different regulations… This isn't a glowing fish. It's a cow that doesn't have to have its horns cut off."