Author: Catherine

IMAGINE having a pair of magic scissors that would allow you to ‘improve’ natural food. With these scissors you could cut away all the annoying things about it and paste in desirable new characteristics: higher yields, superior nutrients, and so on. Theoretically speaking, such a technology is with us now: gene or genome editing. The most publicised of these “molecular scissors” to date is CRISPR, but there are others. Despite the diplomatically opaque new name, gene editing is turbo-charged genetic engineering, only so far with better PR. But if the free traders and corporate influencers in Westminster get their way and deregulate the law that currently governs genetic engineering there, gene edited foods could be green lighted, unlabelled, for English plates, so that most people woul...

Impossible Burger is a household name best recognized for its successful introduction of a plant-based burger that “bleeds” and has no animal hormones or antibiotics. But, there is another notable “first” for Impossible Burger—it is the first product in stores to adopt the new USDA-approved “bioengineered” GMO (genetically modified organism) product label that will soon be federally-mandated. This puts a spotlight on a major debate: the safety of GMO products.   While there have been no proven documented cases of GMOs causing harm in humans or animals, numerous studies show that consumers generally don’t understand or lack familiarity with GMOs and are decidedly wary to try products that are genetically engineered.  For example, the pro-GMO organization GMO Answers found that 70% of...