FDA Considers Engineered Animals For Food

Agency Will Accept Industry Proposals To Sell The Public Animals With Mixed DNA

(CBS/AP)  The U.S. government will start considering industry proposals to sell genetically engineered animals as human food.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday a government review will ensure that such animals are safe to eat.

Genetically engineered animals are created when scientists insert a gene from one species of animal into the DNA of another animal to reprogam some of its characteristics.

For example, fish could be made to grow faster, or hens could be made to lay heart-healthier eggs.

It's unclear how consumers will react to such animals, even with a government seal of approval.

In May of this year, A CBS News/New York Times Poll found that 53 percent of Americans said they wouldn't buy genetically altered food. But as CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reported then, it's hard to avoid such foods because the FDA does not require manufacturers to label products that contain modified ingredients.

For example, today, more than 90 percent of the U.S. soybean crop is genetically modified - had its DNA altered to increase production and withstand chemical weed killers. And nearly three-quarters of all corn planted in the U.S. is genetically modified, Keteyian reported.

Experts say that means if it comes in a can or a box and the label lists soybean oil or corn syrup as ingredients, odds are that it contains Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). Overall, 65 percent of all products in your local grocery store have GMOs...not that you'd know it by looking.

"The industry that makes genetically modified foods fought so hard to make sure that it wasn't labeled," nutritionist Marion Nestle told Keteyian.

According to another CBS News poll, 87 percent of consumers would like GMO ingredients to be labeled, just as they are in Europe, Japan and Australia. Yet the U.S. Congress has never even held a vote on the issue, to give shoppers the opportunity to exercise their most basic right - to make a choice.

The debate over GMOs in the United States started to heat up in 1999, when the FDA held it's first hearings on the subject of labeling food products that contain DNA-modified ingredients. The administration's position then, as now, was that it considered such foods safe for human consumption and therefore did not require labels. But in the face of some consumer backlash, then FDA Commissioner Dr. Jane Henney told CBS News that the agency was considering requiring labels.

"I think that a label might be one of the questions we want to explore." Dr. Henney said.

But in the end, the industry won out, as food makers sold the idea that a genetic label would brand safe foods as poison.

"The terminology that's used to talk about this, to describe this technology is frightening to consumers, they've told us that," Lisa Katic of the Grocery Manufacturers of America told CBS News. "What we are opposed to or against are labels that could potentially misinform or mislead them."

[patrickoncbs]

How about testing this by approving the use for Pet Food first and seeing how a few generations go eh? I hear you all approving BisphenolA as OK and then not less then a week later it is reported as questionable for causing diabetes problems. There are plenty more examples where you guys says its ok, but never link us to the Studies that have Proved it.

[mswolfestock]

Lilredhippie - Dude, you are so right-on.

The time is right for friends and neighbors to form food cooperatives and start more community gardens.

There is strength in numbers, y''all can deal with your local farmers as a group, and enjoy organically grown food at wholesale prices.

Growing your own food and dealing with your local farmers is the best way to know exactly what you are getting (or not).

DOWN WITH FRANKEN-FOOD.

[lilredhippie]

Know where your food comes from. Buy local, get to know an organic farmer in your area. Buy from organic markets. It cannot be labeled organic if it has GMOs in it. Grow what veggies and fruits you can for yourself. Buy meat from local organic farmers. If you can raise your own, raise heritage animals, fruits, veggies.
Demand to know how your food is raised, and what it''s "parentage" is.

[gwjackie]

But the only good thing about they will be smarter than most Republicans! this is a joke!!!!!

[gwjackie]

That is what you get in the store the layers they feed and water with the lights on 24 7 till they burn them up they cant even walk when they are done with them all they can do is hop.

[gwjackie]

I think they have got chickens with 4 or 6 legs and 4 0r 6 wings just go to ky fried chicken and get a big bucket an see it sucks what you get.

[lewiston14]

Can they make a white free egg. Yokes are where its at

[gwjackie]

Please put this on the tags so i wont have to eat the shi!

[jaton55]

I wonder if these chickens have been engineered against sunburn as feathers/fur protects animals from this. Just so they won''t have to be plucked! Seem a little cruel to save a few pennies!

[republic1776]

Property taxes are 10 Percent.
We no longer own land.
Ungle Sam gets the total value of our land every ten years.
Thank you liberals!

[republic1776]

This is the first step of making human slaves!
Even India, cannto compete.
A brave new world.

[downsteamjim]

For those of you who fear GMA foods, you can always by get your food from China.

[hypnotoad72]

How about engineering a chicken that''''ll keep my house clean, make my meals and go away...

Posted by actornaught
-----------------

I can''t speak for other countries, but slavery was abolished in America.

[republic1776]

I love science, but is jacked up.
Did you know that you can buy on bull sperm online.

[rudy654-2009]

Posted by listenupfool at 03:14 PM

Of course your genetic excrement coming out of the chickens.

[jng123-2009]

well, there are some options, but they cost a little more. for example, when i still ate meat, i bought amish raised chicken, which was fed whole grains (NOT other chicken parts) and did not contain any unnatural additions, such as steroids. the milk i buy comes from moo-cows that havent been injected with hormones. i buy 95% of my fruits and veggies at a local market, etc. if i had a nice yard, i would grow my own veggies. so yeah, just make sure you buy the good stuff. those are some fugly chickens, btw.

[actornaught]

Posted by incog-nito at 03:41 PM : Sep 18, 2008

Yeah, but they have to figure out why they should get it to cross the road to do that.

[incog-nito]

I suppose the only thing left to do is to genetically program these chicken to show up at your door and walk straight into the oven.

[actornaught]

Posted by listenupfool at 03:14 PM : Sep 18, 2008

Now see you had to spoil the fun by getting all limbaugh on it. It''s a shame you have get so defensive when your kneejerk chicken is offended...

[mac4440]

The USA has the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. It''s amazing how many people think they know more than the scientists that spend years doing research.