Washington State University recently received FDA approval to introduce meat from gene-edited pigs into the food chain for human consumption. The first implementation of the meat came in the form of German-style sausages, reports WSU Insider.
“It’s important for a university to set the precedent by working with federal regulators to get these animals introduced into the food supply,” said Jon Oatley, a professor in the School of Molecular Biosciences in WSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, in a statement. “If we don’t go through that process, all of the research we’re doing is for naught because it will never make it out into the public.”
Oatley uses CRISPR, a gene-editing tool, to improve genetic traits in livestock.
The pigs used in the sausage were processed at the WSU Meat Lab and also inspected by the USDA. They were edited in a way to enable researchers to “sire offspring with traits from another male pig,” a process known as “surrogate sires,” according to the report. This allows researchers to propagate genetics that can improve meat quality, health, and resilience of livestock.
“The original intent in making these animals was to try to improve the way that we feed people,” Oatley said. Full Story
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