Biotech the Future - Part 3

GOOD Morning to you all again, did you have a fruitful week, I hope so. I love that hymn “amazing grace”. In the 1700's, John Newton went to sea with his father, when his father retired, John was farced to serve on a warship, facing bad conditions, he deserted and joined a ship carrying slaves from Africa. Eventually he became a captain of his own slave ship. On May 10, 1748 however his life changed forever. The ship encountered a terrifying violent storm, just as it seemed that the ship would sink John Newton cried aloud “Lord have mercy on us.”

That night, in his cabin he began to reflect upon God's mercy through his faith in Christ, John experienced God's amazing grace. In a personal way. He left the slave trade and entered Christian Ministry , he became a Pastor, but is mostly remembered for the wonderful hymn he wrote amazing grace. So you see, Gods spirit convicts us of sin and gives us the power to forsake it.

Lets pause for a moment: Amazing grace - how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me I once was lost. But now am found was blind but now I see. God claims by grace those who have no claim to grace.

Our topic: We will continue as promised last week, nutrients in meat, milk and eggs from livestock fed with biotech feeds are the same as those from livestock fed with conventional feeds. Because most components or feed are broken into smaller components during digestion by the animal, plant proteins have not been detected in milk meat or eggs.

The introduced DNA and newly expressed protein(s) from biotech crops have not been found in the meat, milk or eggs from animals fed biotech crops. Another point to remember also is that the meat, milk and eggs from the livestock and poultry consuming biotech feeds are also safe for human consumption. By the year 2020 global protein consumption, or so the experts say, from meat, milk, and eggs is predicted to increase dramatically. A “livestock revolution”. Therefore, with biotech crops and animal food products, we will benefit the nutrition and well-being of the worlds population, especially children in the developing countries.

The FDA, (Food and Drug Administration) ensures that any human food or animal feed derived from new plant varieties is safe to eat. After completion of the voluntary FDA consultation process, more than 40 crops have been developed for market. The FDA has recently proposed to change the process from voluntary to mandatory. This I think is a good move. Foods derived from biotechnology must then be labeled only if they differ significantly from their conventional counterparts. For example if the nutritional value or the potential to cause an allergic reaction is altered.

The EPA (Environmental protection agency) has authority over all new pesticides, including biotech plants which produce their own protection against pest. In deciding whether to register a new biotech product. The EPA considers human safety, impact on the environment, effectiveness on the targeted pest and any effects on other endangered and threatened species. Recently starlink corn, which was approved only for animal consumption, was found in human foods. We must check the labels on foodstuff very carefully.

The EPA now has a policy of not approving biotech crops intended for human use. The FASS (Federation of Animal Science Societies) Recognizes the significant logistical problems that labeling incurs for meat, poultry, eggs and milk processors. FASS doe's not support labeling of food derived from animals fed biotech crop material because the scientific evidence consistently indicates that meat, milk and eggs derived from animals fed biotech feeds are equivalent to product from animals fed conventional feeds. FASS supports food labeling that is meaningful to the consumer and serves a specific purpose. FASS supports food labeling if a food product is substantially changed in nutritional composition or safety. Well friends that concludes my paper in biotech feeds. I hope its been of some value to you. Take care – see you next week.