Challenges Facing the American Healthcare System
Kant Patel, Mark Rushefsky in Healthcare Politics and Policy in America, 2019
Gene editing is a method used by scientists to change the DNA of organisms including plants, animals, and humans. The agricultural industry was the first to start using gene editing in plants to improve crops and develop seedless tomatoes, gluten-free wheat, mushrooms that do not turn brown when older, and host of other modifications to vegetables and fruits. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the field of agriculture have produced some backlash among some segments of the population. Gene editing rewrites the biological code that makes up the instruction manual for living organisms. With gene editing, scientists can disable the defective genes, correct harmful mutations, and change the activity of specific genes. Gene editing can be used to add, remove, or alter the DNA in the genome (Sample 2018). Gene editing is often compared to editing a manuscript in which one corrects a misspelled word, replaces a wrong word with a correct or better word, or rewrites sentences (“Gene Editing” n.d.)
All is changed – changed utterly
Brendan Curran in A Terrible Beauty is Born, 2020
Does the precision that is so characteristic of plant genetic engineering mean that a new toxin or allergen can never arise in a genetically engineered plant? – No. However, allergies and toxins are no more likely to occur in genetically modified plants than in any other plant variety. Peanuts are known to cause fatal allergic responses, and scores of other foodstuffs have severe, if less fatal effects, on millions of individuals, but these foodstuffs are readily available. All of the scientific evidence to date suggests that genetically modified organisms are no more likely to have adverse allergenic or toxic effects than any other crop. Therefore, provided that such potential side effects are properly evaluated and minimised, it is difficult to see why the use of such crops should pose any threat to the human food chain.
Introduction
Ronald P. Evens in Biotechnology, 2020
Biotechnology further encompasses biological products that have agricultural uses and industrial applications. Farming is being revolutionized such that genetically modified organisms in plants are being used in hundreds of millions of acres of food crops with manifold farming and public benefits; for example, greater crop yields per acre, less insecticide and herbicide use for an improved environmental impact, crop growth in stressed environments (low water and saline soil), and less cost per acre for farming. In industry, naturally occurring microorganisms are being studied and used to consume substances harmful to the environment, such as hydrocarbons (e.g., oil), mercury, and sulfuric acid. Biodegradable enzymes are used in manufacturing to replace toxic substances that previously entered the biosphere.
The role of the human gut microbiota in colonization and infection with multidrug-resistant bacteria
Published in Gut Microbes, 2021
Irene Wuethrich, Benedikt W. Pelzer, Yascha Khodamoradi, Maria J. G. T. Vehreschild
Probiotics are viable microorganisms which, when administered in sufficient quantities, have beneficial effects on the health of the host.68 If used as a drug with an associated health claim, they are referred to as live biotherapeutic products/agents.69 While probiotics are traditionally isolated from food, live biotherapeutics may be isolated from various niches. The latter may also include genetically modified organisms. Disease targets range from cancer, to autoimmune diseases (including asthma), to clearance of infectious agents. Mechanisms of action are specific to individual strains, and generally fall into one or multiple categories: microbiota modulation by direct interaction or competition, host metabolism modification,11,12 and host immunity modulation.
Promoting an interdisciplinary food literacy framework to cultivate critical citizenship
Published in Journal of American College Health, 2021
Amy C. Rowat, Michael Soh, Hannah Malan, Leeane Jensen, Laura Schmidt, Wendelin Slusser
Interdisciplinary approaches to promote an effective understanding of food are urgently needed. Food is an integral part of our daily lives, as well as our culture and society; what we eat impacts our health, our environment, and our communities. Yet, navigating the world of food choices has become increasingly complex and challenging. Food—and its role in the social, political, and personal realms of our lives—continues to evolve with the increasing industrialization of the food system, advances in science and technology, and expanding knowledge of chronic disease etiology. Food-based topics are popularized and sensationalized in the media, and our lives are flooded with information and advertising. The omnipresence of social media provides a platform for even greater diversity of voices and viewpoints, as well as misleading and inaccurate information. Technologies, such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), are rapidly evolving and increasingly used in agriculture and marketing. Recent findings reveal that the scientific literature has been tainted by conflicts of interest1.
Bovine Liver Supplement Labeling Practices and Compliance With U.S. Regulations
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2022
Anthony J. Silva, MS, Olive J. Dahm, MS, Rosalee S. Hellberg
“Gluten-free” claims were identified in 21 products and were deemed compliant based on the information on the label, as no ingredients known to contain gluten were listed. However, further laboratory testing would be required to confirm the absence of gluten in these products. Numerous statements were observed on supplement labels that indicated the absence of genetically modified organisms (n = 22), hormones (n = 22), dairy or milk (n = 19), soy (n = 16), artificial colors or flavors (n = 15), wheat (n = 12), preservatives (n = 11), antibiotics (n = 9), and pesticides (n = 9). Statements related to the absence of dairy, soy, and wheat appeared to focus on avoidance due to dietary preferences and were therefore not considered to be nutrient content claims (21 CFR § 101.65). Label statements about substances that are nonnutritive or do not have a nutritive function, such as “no preservatives” or “no artificial colors,” are also not considered to be nutrient content claims and are not subject to the requirements of 21 CFR § 101.13 or 101.65.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Gene Knockout
- Genetic Engineering
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- Gene
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