How we can define GMOs in meat?

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Tuesday, 04/08/2015 11:54

A GMO is a plant developed through a process in which a copy of a desired gene or section of genetic material from one plant or organism is placed in another plant. The only GMOs commercially available in the U.S. are the following eight crops: soybeans, corn (field and sweet), papaya, canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets and summer squash. Two more GMOs, apples and potatoes, are approved and coming to market soon.

 

As of today, there are no GM animal products available on the market. Below is an excerpt from an article by Yvonne Badke, an expert from Bayer, which addresses GM animal products and the FDA process for these products. Her full text response is available here.

 

“Genetic modifications in animals have been researched since the early 1990s. FDA is currently reviewing the first GM animal product. No GM food animal or food animal product is on the market today. With regard to GM animals, FDA released guidelines in 2009 on how to receive GM-animal approval, citing the following main areas of application:

• Produce pharmaceuticals to be used for other animals and humans.

• Improve dietary nutrient utilization to decrease the potential environmental impact of that nutrient through excretion in manure.

• Serve as a source of cells, tissue and organs closely matched to humans so that they may be able to be transplanted into humans with a decreased risk of rejection.

• Produce high-value materials, such as those used for surgical sutures and personal protection devices, such as body armor for military and law enforcement use.

• Produce highly specific antimicrobials that target disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli or salmonella.

• Provide more healthful or more efficiently produced food.”

 

Livestock does not become genetically modified when it eats food with GMO ingredients. In the United States, livestock have been consuming feed made from GM crops for almost twenty years. More than two-thirds of GM corn and half of GM soybeans are used for livestock feed. In that time, GMOS have never been detected in the milk, meat or eggs derived from animals fed GM feed. 

 

It’s also important to understand that almost all the food that we (or animals) eat contains DNA and proteins.  The DNA and proteins found in food, GMO and non-GM, are released from the food and processed by the digestive system in our gastrointestinal tract.  During digestion, GMO and non-GMO DNA is broken down into the four nucleotides that make up all DNA, and/or into small nucleotide fragments.  Similarly, proteins, again GMO and non-GM, are broken down into one or a few of the 21 amino acids that exist in nature.  Many, many studies have been conducted on the potential for GMO DNA or proteins to be transferred into animal tissues.  No intact or immunologically reactive protein or DNA has been detected in animal tissue. 

 

Further information about GMOs and livestock is available here. If you have any additional questions, please ask.

Expert response from Community Manager

Moderator for GMOAnswers.com

Tuesday, 04/08/2015 11:54

A GMO is a plant developed through a process in which a copy of a desired gene or section of genetic material from one plant or organism is placed in another plant. The only GMOs commercially available in the U.S. are the following eight crops: soybeans, corn (field and sweet), papaya, canola, cotton, alfalfa, sugar beets and summer squash. Two more GMOs, apples and potatoes, are approved and coming to market soon.

 

As of today, there are no GM animal products available on the market. Below is an excerpt from an article by Yvonne Badke, an expert from Bayer, which addresses GM animal products and the FDA process for these products. Her full text response is available here.

 

“Genetic modifications in animals have been researched since the early 1990s. FDA is currently reviewing the first GM animal product. No GM food animal or food animal product is on the market today. With regard to GM animals, FDA released guidelines in 2009 on how to receive GM-animal approval, citing the following main areas of application:

• Produce pharmaceuticals to be used for other animals and humans.

• Improve dietary nutrient utilization to decrease the potential environmental impact of that nutrient through excretion in manure.

• Serve as a source of cells, tissue and organs closely matched to humans so that they may be able to be transplanted into humans with a decreased risk of rejection.

• Produce high-value materials, such as those used for surgical sutures and personal protection devices, such as body armor for military and law enforcement use.

• Produce highly specific antimicrobials that target disease-causing bacteria, such as E. coli or salmonella.

• Provide more healthful or more efficiently produced food.”

 

Livestock does not become genetically modified when it eats food with GMO ingredients. In the United States, livestock have been consuming feed made from GM crops for almost twenty years. More than two-thirds of GM corn and half of GM soybeans are used for livestock feed. In that time, GMOS have never been detected in the milk, meat or eggs derived from animals fed GM feed. 

 

It’s also important to understand that almost all the food that we (or animals) eat contains DNA and proteins.  The DNA and proteins found in food, GMO and non-GM, are released from the food and processed by the digestive system in our gastrointestinal tract.  During digestion, GMO and non-GMO DNA is broken down into the four nucleotides that make up all DNA, and/or into small nucleotide fragments.  Similarly, proteins, again GMO and non-GM, are broken down into one or a few of the 21 amino acids that exist in nature.  Many, many studies have been conducted on the potential for GMO DNA or proteins to be transferred into animal tissues.  No intact or immunologically reactive protein or DNA has been detected in animal tissue. 

 

Further information about GMOs and livestock is available here. If you have any additional questions, please ask.