Almost all we eat has been genetically modified

[SaulR80683]

Almost all we eat has been genetically modified (by man). Just think about plain old wheat, and compare it to the wild grasses from which it was changed some 5000 years ago in the Golden Crescent of the Middle East. You’d never even dream they were related. The same for rice, soy, oats, corn, and all the rest of the grains we eat. Or if you consider a milk cow, and compare it to the wild animal it was derived from. Or a beef cow. Or a tomato, or a carrot, or an apple. None of them has the same genes now as the animals or plants they came from. And if they did, we probably wouldn’t be very interested in eating them.

I’m not sure what this proves, except that it’s pretty clear that we eat genetically modified food all the time. Some people will still demand that all “genetically modified food” be labeled. But it’s not clear to me where you would draw the line. And wouldn’t any line you draw be artificial?

As for Solazyme, they seem to have so many high-margin non-food products possible that I doubt that it will make much of a difference for them, as a company.

Just musing…

Saul

[drillerjim101]

Great common sense post, Saul.

My 80 year old father in law in still ranching and farming after 60 years. When I asked him about genetically modifying his crops and cattle, he just shakes his head and makes the simple point that new seeds and better breeding have vastly changed the size of our produce and livestock for the better.

Simply grafting a tree genetically alters the produce and seeds for better and more production.

Our dogs all came originally from wolves. Yep…through genetically altering the genes through selective breeding.

No, I don’t believe the GMO controversy will touch the margins of Solazyme for the very reason Saul states.

Jim