Perhaps it’s because my own mother only breast-fed me for two weeks before she had to go back to work, but I find the idea of cows being genetically engineered to produce human breast milk disturbing. According to an article on Reuters, the China Agricultural University has successfully genetically engineered 300 cows to produce milk that is approximately 80 percent equivalent to that of a human mother. This new discovery is also being explored in Argentina and UC Davis in California. I am still puzzled as to what benefits this direction of genetic modification will bring.
The main argument for genetic engineering seems to be that we can produce more quantities of better food, thereby feeding more people. While the concept seems quite altruistic, I can’t help wonder why we are not feeding more people with the larger quantities we are yielding in the United States alone. There still seem to be quite a few starving people in America despite the rapid proliferation of genetically modified corn and soy products. To me it appears that regardless of the benevolent motives for pursuing the science, money and greed remain to be obstacles. Therefore, I wonder, is the direction of genetically modified organisms really necessary?
As stated earlier, I was inadequately breast fed as an infant, the age when studies suggest children benefit the most from the nutrients derived from breast milk; yet, I am in relatively good physical health for a 38 year old. I do not have lactose intolerance, any gastrointestinal problems, or severe allergies, aside from crab, which is a bummer because I love it, (although, I can’t attribute my allergy to crab to my mother’s insufficient breast-feeding plan). Food allergies are known to come and go without warning.
I also can’t attribute my great relationship with my mother to only being breast fed for two weeks either. Being bottle fed probably still provided a sufficient bonding experience. And regardless of not being breast-fed (although I’m sure Freud would have disagreed), I am a relatively decent person despite a few idiosyncrasies that I like to call endearing personality characteristics. Which begs the question, why are we pursuing the application of genetic engineering to cows producing an equivalent to human breast milk?
Some argue that the milk contains nutrients that are not found in cow’s milk, such as lysozyme, which attacks bacteria in the gastrointestinal system. This is a fact, and it is well established that infants benefit the most in the first year of their life from receiving this enzyme as well as an array of other antibodies and nutrients from human breast milk. Ideally, an infant would receive this from their own mother because she contains the genetic make up symbiotic to her infant’s needs, but we all know that this is not always possible so alternatives need to be explored.
However, I am not convinced that genetically engineering a cow to produce breast milk would be the ideal alternative. For one thing, the research suggests that human breast milk yields the most benefits to children in their first year or so which is why it is creepy to see a four year old thoughtfully bring their mother a glass of water before settling in to be breast-fed. When I had my own daughter, I was advised by the pediatrician after the first year to begin feeding my daughter whole cow’s milk because it contained essential vitamins and nutrients for brain development. Therefore, by eliminating cow’s milk, are we depriving children from other essential vitamins and nutrients they might need? Also, do adults really need human breast milk derived from cows when there are other adequate sources of lysozyme such as the whites of hens’ eggs? (Sears, 2010)
I recall someone talking about a hipster place that was serving breast milk ice cream and I commented on how unappealing that sounded to me. The reply I received was, “but you don’t find drinking cow’s milk weird?” Call me old fashioned, but, no, because I am an omnivore and I eat beef. Now, if I were vegetarian, or vegan, then perhaps. But I’m not; so drinking cow’s milk is not any worse than eating cow’s flesh. I would, however, find eating human flesh repulsive.
In the end, I suppose there must be a balance. Human breast milk is the most beneficial during the first formidable years while a baby is building antibodies for their immune system; yet, numerous babies have managed to survive without it. Beyond that, I don’t really see the benefit to introducing this form of genetic engineering into our community. With science comes ethics, and if we begin by genetically engineering a cow to produce human breast milk, what sort of Pandora’s box will we be opening with genetic engineering and modification?
References:
Lysozyme Overview
GMO Dairy Cow Produce Human Beast Milk
Posted by Lia M Caldwell
This entry was posted
on Sunday, December 4th, 2011 at 08:29 and is filed under DailyNews-Tech/Science, genetically engineered organisms, GMO, Opinion, Tech/Science.
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