http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/nationworld/story/6396812p-5704813c.html


Rice that has human genetics approved 
RICK WEISS; The Washington Post
Published: March 2nd, 2007 01:00 AM 

WASHINGTON - The Agriculture Department has given a preliminary green light
for the first commercial production of a food crop engineered to contain
human genes, reigniting fears that biomedically potent substances in
high-tech plants could escape and turn up in other foods. 
The plan, confirmed Thursday by the California biotech company leading the
effort, calls for large-scale cultivation in Kansas of rice that produces
human immune system proteins in its seeds.
The proteins are to be extracted for use as an anti-diarrhea medicine and
might be added to health foods such as yogurt and granola bars.
"We can really help children with diarrhea get better faster. That is the
idea," said Scott Deeter, president and chief executive of Sacramento-based
Ventria Bioscience, emphasizing that a host of protections should keep the
engineered plants and their seeds from escaping into surrounding fields.
But critics are assailing the effort, saying gene-altered plants inevitably
migrate out of their home plots. In this case, they said, that could result
in pharmacologically active proteins showing up in the food of unsuspecting
consumers.
Although the proteins are not inherently dangerous, there would be little
control over the doses people might get exposed to, and some might be
allergic to the proteins, said Jane Rissler of the Union of Concerned
Scientists, a science policy advocacy group.

Con't.
Consumer advocacy groups, including Consumers Union and the Washington-based
Center for Food Safety, have also opposed Ventria's plans. 
"We definitely have big concerns," said Joseph Mendelson, the Center's legal
director.
Ventria has developed three varieties of rice, each endowed with a different
human gene that makes the plants produce one of three human proteins. 
Two of them, lactoferrin and lysozyme, are bacteria-fighting compounds found
in breast milk and saliva.


FYI.
Judy Ritchie

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