Alicia,
You are adding another perspective and I am more than happy to discuss our
different opinions.  There is no need to apologize because I believe that one
of the ways we all grow and learn is by listening to each other and being
willing to at least see the other side (maybe not understand it but be
willing to look at the other side :)

You wrote,  "your limits of acceptable biological manipulation are different
than mine."  Yes that must be true, if you find the Martek oils--DHA and
AA--acceptable.  By your comments about the brassica family I gather you
believe that cloning and genetic modification are just an extension of plant
and animal breeding that has been going on for thousands of years. What
limits would you put on this new technology?  At what point do you believe
that we may overstep the boundary of nature and enter the territory of huge
risks?

Would you consider mixing the genes of a shrimp to a strawberry in order to
make a redder strawberry risky?  Or is mixing the gene from a flounder that
keeps this animal from freezing in the cold North Atlantic with a strawberry
to create a frost-resistant plant safe?  The frost-resistant strawberry might
be a good thing for the farmer--save his crop.  The shrimp with the
strawberry seems rather like a ploy to deceive the consumer but maybe it has
an aesthetical worth.  By the way these examples have all been done.

What about crossing the human gene for lactoferrin with rice?  This
lactoferrin will be used in infant formula to make it identical to breastmilk
lactoferrin.  Yes, being done in California at UC Davis (Bo Lonnerdal, human
milk researcher) and we have experimental fields of this rice. Have we gone
too far now?  Think about the impact of this product.  We think Martek has
caused us problems.

Of course, we already have approval of milk lactoferrin made from cows who
are able to express the human lacatoferrin gene (bovine embryo has gene for
human lactoferrin).  So I guess I shouldn't be too upset over the rice and
human lactoferrin gene mix because heck it's only a plant.

Funny thing is that I tend to think that despite the genetic diversity in
nature, there have always been boundaries.  Mixing human genes with plants or
animals, seems like we have jumped over a major boundary.  I guess this makes
me real uneasy, and I am afraid that even Martek's cloned microalgae and
fungi make me real uneasy.  But you know if everyone else in the world wants
to eat it and drink it, that's fine with me.  Just I don't want to eat it and
drink it nor do I want my children or their children eating and drinking it.
But am I being offered a choice or even informed consent?

A recent article was sent to me from another Lactnetter and it certainly is
worth considering.  From:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/gmdebate/story/0,2763,756666,00.html

"British scientific researchers have demonstrated for the first time that
genetically modified DNA material from crops is finding its way into human
gut bacteria, raising potentially serious health questions."

The concern is that resistance to antibiotics may increase because genetic
modification uses antibiotic resistant markers.

I am concerned about the premies and infants who are ingesting these foods.
The gut of an the baby who is not breastfed is a wide open field for these
new organisms.  One would think that there would be some level of precaution
before we wholeheartly buy into this new technology.  But I don't see any
precaution nor do I see any real public debate on this issue..  So I thank
you Alicia for being willing to discuss this because I think we have to look
at this new technology and how it will impact our infants....and impact
breastfeeding.  Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC



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