Monday, March 27, 2006

Trans-swinism to the rescue?

This looks interesting:
Geneticists have mixed DNA from the roundworm C. elegans and pigs to produce swine with significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids -- the kind believed to stave off heart disease...

"We all can use more omega-3 in our diet," said Dr. Jing Kang, the Harvard Medical School researcher who modified the omega-3-making worm gene so it turned on in the pigs....

Hoping to create healthier, cheaper and tastier products that consumers crave, Monsanto of St. Louis and its biotech farming competitors like DuPont are developing omega-3-producing crops that yield healthier cooking oils....

While boosting Omega-3s doesn't decrease the fat content in pigs, the fatty acids are also important to brain development and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and depression. The American Heart Association recommends at least two weekly servings of fish, particularly fatty fish like trout and salmon, which are naturally high in omega-3s.
Ultimately, maybe the solution is to put those worm genes into ourselves and make our own Omega-3s. Until then, tho, bring on the peanut butter and bacon sandwiches!

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