Genetically Engineered Frankenfish is Considered Safe

A fish jumping out of the water. (Hemera/Thinkstock)
A fish jumping out of the water. (Hemera/Thinkstock)

Have you heard of “frankenfish”? It is a Frankenstein fish. Yuck, right? Well, have no fears. A media report including one in the Washington Post (December 21/2012) says, “Federal health regulators say a genetically modified salmon that grows twice as fast as normal is unlikely to harm the environment, clearing the way for the first approval of a scientifically engineered animal for human consumption.”

The Canadian Press reported on January 4, 2013, “Canadian ‘frankenfish’ moves closer to FDA approval for human consumption.”

In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the fish is unlikely to harm populations of natural salmon, a key concern for environmental activists. The AquaAdvantage salmon has been called by the critics as frankenfish. They see the development of frankenfish unethical and worry it could cause human allergies and eventually destroy the natural salmon population if it escapes and breeds in the wild.

FDA has said in the past that animals that are cloned are safe to eat. But frankenfish is not a clone. The DNA has been changed to produce a desirable effect. There is added growth hormone from the Pacific Chinook salmon that allows the fish to produce growth hormone all year long. Typical Atlantic salmon produce the growth hormone for only part of the year. The company says frankenfish will have the same flavour, texture, colour and odour as the conventional fish.

This is only one example of genetically altered food. There are many other foods which have been genetically changed. The Health Canada website (http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/) says, “Health Canada conducts a thorough safety assessment of all biotechnology-derived foods to demonstrate that a novel food is as safe and nutritious as foods already on the Canadian marketplace.” Internationally, more than 10 species specific consensus documents have been developed, including for corn, soybean, wheat, rice, canola and sugar beet to ensure safety of these foods for human consumption.

As of 2012, Health Canada has approved over 81 genetically modified foods for sale in Canada. No applications have been turned down as long as they meet Health Canada’s strict guidelines. According to Wikipedia, commercial sale of genetically modified foods began in 1994, when Calgene Inc. first marketed its Flavr Savr delayed ripening tomato. Since then the technology has been used in different areas. There are organisms which have been genetically engineered and there are crops which have undergone genetic changes.

Some fruits and vegetables have been genetically changed to prevent disease in the crops. For example, Papaya has been genetically modified to resist the ringspot virus. Today, 80 per cent of Hawaiian papaya is genetically engineered. As of 2005, about 13 per cent of the zucchini grown in the US was genetically modified to resist some viruses. Most vegetable oil used in the US is produced from genetically modified crops. We can go on. There are many such examples. No reports of ill effects have been documented in the human population from genetically modified food.

Looks like genetically modified food is here to stay. And we are eating it every day.

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Energy Drinks Being Investigated in the U.S. by FDA

Energy drink cans. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
Energy drink cans. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

Being tired is a universal complaint. We are always looking for a quick fix to energize us. Then there are energy drinks. When you see them being advertised on TV, you are really tempted to buy one. This is how the energy drink market has become a multibillion dollar industry. Sales of energy drinks in the United States grew an estimated 16 per cent last year to $8.9 billion, a record level, according to Beverage Digest, a trade publication.

For example, 5-Hour Energy drink is supposed to provide you with immediate boost in your energy level. The drink has no sugar and only four calories. So, where does the energy boosting ingredient come from? It is caffeine. But the company does not tell us how much caffeine is in the drink.

Rockstar Energy, 5-Hour Energy and Monster Energy are marketed as dietary supplements. Other energy drinks like Red Bull, NOS and AMP are marketed as beverages. There isn’t a mandatory reporting requirement for beverages to let you know how much caffeine is in the product, though makers can do so voluntarily.

Now the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking into it. On November 16, 2012 NBC news reported, “The federal government and the New York Attorney General’s office have announced that they are investigating the popular energy drink after the Food and Drug Administration received claims that 5-Hour Energy has over the past four years led to 13 deaths and 33 hospitalizations.”

The FDA has received 92 reports over four years that cite illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths after consumption of 5-Hour Energy. The FDA is also looking into highly caffeinated Monster Energy Drink. The FDA has received reports that Monster Energy Drink may be responsible for five deaths and one nonfatal heart attack. The FDA warns that this is just a preliminary investigation as direct effect of deaths to these drinks has not been established so far. The agency is cautioning consumers that these “energy shots” or “energy drinks” are not alternatives to rest or sleep.

In 2010, makers of caffeinated alcoholic drinks took those products off the market after the FDA sent the companies warning letters saying that combinations of caffeine and alcohol in the drinks was a public health concern and could lead to alcohol poisoning, car accidents and assaults, says NBC news.

The New York Times first reported that 13 deaths were linked to 5-Hour Energy. Since 2009, 5-Hour Energy has been mentioned in some 90 filings with the FDA, including more than 30 that involved serious or life-threatening injuries like heart attacks, convulsions and, in one case, a spontaneous abortion.

We do not know how much caffeine is in Monster Energy and 5-Hour Energy. But a recent article published by Consumer Reports placed that level at about 215 milligrams, says the Times report. An eight-ounce cup of coffee, depending on how it is made, can contain from 100 to 150 milligrams of caffeine. Maximum amount of caffeine you can consume safely a day depends on how sensitive your body is to caffeine. Caffeine is a drug. Use it carefully. Instead of being energized, you may be dead resting for ever.

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E. coli Infection from Contaminated Food can be Very Serious

Your hamburger may be a bio-hazard! (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
Your hamburger may be a bio-hazard! (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

Last week’s news: Health officials in Alberta say they are investigating five cases of E. coli infections in people, but they are not linking them to an extensive recall of ground beef from major Canadian grocery stores.

It seems the problem is sporadic rather than widespread. However, the person infected with E.coli can suffer from mild to severe and sometimes life threatening symptoms. It has been reported four of the infections are in Edmonton and one in Calgary. Apparently, one such case involves a four-year-old Calgary girl whose kidneys have failed and she has had two blood transfusions.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency first warned last week that ground beef from Edmonton-based XL Foods may contain E. coli. Investigations are going on but it is not always easy to pin down the source of infection since there are many potential sources of exposure.

E. coli is one of the many organisms which colonise intestinal tract of humans and animals. E. coli and related bacteria constitute about 0.1 per cent of gut flora. E. coli colonizes an infant’s gut within 40 hours of birth with food or water or with the individuals handling the child. They remain harmless in the gut until they become virulent and cause all kinds of troubles.

Virulent strains of E. coli can cause gastroenteritis, urinary tract infections, and neonatal meningitis. In rarer cases, they can cause hemolytic-uremic syndrome (toxic substances destroy red blood cells causing kidney injury), peritonitis, mastitis, septicemia (bacteria in the blood cause chills, high fever, rapid breathing and rapid heart rate), and pneumonia.

Food, water and dirty hands are contaminated with animal or human faecal matter containing E. coli and then we ingest it. Other sources of E. coli are undercooked ground beef, unpasteurized milk or cider, salami, alfalfa sprouts and lettuce. Person-to-person transmission is common.

Clinical presentation is from mild nonbloody diarrhea to serious bloody diarrhea with severe abdominal cramping, septicemia and kidney failure. The incubation period averages about four days, but ranges from one to 10 days. Adults typically shed the bacteria for about a week after infection, young children, for up to three weeks. Diagnosis is made by stool cultures.

Treatment is, for the most part, supportive with maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and blood transfusion if necessary. Preventing this infection is difficult because E. coli is present almost everywhere. Attention should be paid to food safety, personal hygiene and the rapid identification of active cases. Always remember to wash your hands as often as possible. Servers and kitchen staff at restaurants and fast food joints, staff at nursing homes and hospitals and industries where food is extensively handled by different individuals have to pay extra attention to personal and environmental hygiene.

It is important to report to the local medical officer of health all suspected and confirmed cases of E. coli infection. These infected individuals should refrain from interacting with the vulnerable populations – elderly, children and the sick. If they handle food then they should refrain from these occupational activities until two stool samples have tested negative for E. coli.

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There is Hope for People with Egg Allergy

A broken egg. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
A broken egg. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

Millions of people around the world suffer from egg allergy. It is a hypersensitivity to dietary substances from the yolk or whites of eggs, causing an overreaction of the immune system which may lead to severe physical symptoms.

Egg allergy appears mainly in children although some adults are affected by it as well. It is the second most common food allergy in children, the most common is cow’s milk allergy.

The most severe food allergy reaction is called anaphylaxis and is an emergency situation requiring immediate attention and treatment with epinephrine. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America estimates that most children outgrow egg allergy by the age of five, but some people remain allergic for a lifetime.

It is estimated that one in every 13 Canadian suffers from a significant food allergy. Besides egg and milk, other common food allergies are to peanut, fish and sesame. Research indicates that peanut and nut allergies were much more common in children than adults and the opposite was true with fish and shellfish allergy.

Here is the good news now. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (July 19, 2012) provides hope for children with egg allergy. It says egg allergy can be substantially reduced and in some cases can be cured.

The research was conducted by feeding children with severe egg allergies with tiny amounts of egg protein (oral immunotherapy). Over time, the dose was steadily increased. The idea was to allow the body to gradually learn to tolerate exposure to the substance.

Results:

-After 10 months of therapy, 55 per cent of those who received oral immunotherapy passed the oral food challenge and were considered to be desensitized.

-After 22 months, 75 per cent of children in the oral immunotherapy group were desensitized.

-At 30 months and 36 months, all children who had passed the oral food challenge at 24 months were consuming egg.

About 25 per cent of the children who did not respond to oral immunotherapy suggests that some patients will need treatment on a regular basis for a longer time. The researchers believe even if it doesn’t provide a complete cure for everyone, the treatment may be able to reduce the severity of allergic reactions in many patients.

Parents are cautioned not to try this kind of treatment (oral immunotherapy) at home without medical supervision. A lot more research needs to be done before the therapy is ready for the general public. Oral immunotherapy is still considered experimental and should not be attempted outside a research trial. For now, this research paper provides hope for millions of people who have food allergies.

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