Biotech May Be Solution to Food Allergies
Posted: March 13, 2013
The post on this blog that has received the most comments is one about corn allergies, which - like all food allergies - can be very serious to those who suffer from them. A better future for them, and those who suffer from allergies to other foods like peanuts, could be in biotechnology.
“Biotechnology is going to be the solution to food allergies,” said Iowa corn grower Bill Horan, who is COO of Horan BioProduction and also chairman of Truth About Trade and Technology. “As those products come along people are going to understand the real value of biotech.”
Bill farms over 4,000 acres of corn in northwest Iowa with his brother Joe and was on a panel at the recent Bayer CropScience Ag Issues Forum on farmers who are doing things differently. His difference is farming pharmaceuticals. “About 11 years ago we started with a French company,” he said. “They had inserted canine lipase into a corn plant to produce a lipase for cystic fibrosis patients.”
This year they will be working with a German company growing potatoes that produce an antibacterial protein for use in cosmetics. Horan points out some of the leading biotech companies are based in Europe, but because of the laws against growing genetically modified crops they have to contract for commercial production outside of Europe. However, he adds that it’s not easy for the average farmer to do it in this country either. “It’s very difficult to get permits from USDA to grow these biologics,” he said, noting that because he and his brother have been working at it now for over a decade they know how to get it done.
Listen to some of Bill’s comments here: Iowa Farmer Bill Horan
DJ Said,
April 3, 2013 @ 7:41 pm
I’m allergic to corn and have been all of my life. I can assure you, that biotech will not solve my food allergy problems. I was allergic to corn, radishes and sulfites before GMOs. After GM foods came into being and I ate them without knowing anything about them, I developed a lot more food allergies. GMOs give me terrible stomach pains, among other symptoms, so I avoid them as much as anyone can, since they are not labeled. I believe those adulterated foods caused me to have a leaky gut, and that led to reactions to even more foods. I will continue to eat ‘real’ foods that don’t make me sick, such as organic and conventional foods and food products.
Crystal Said,
April 5, 2013 @ 6:32 am
Sadly, I have to disagree with your theory. I think the biggest issue for those with a corn allergy, like my daughter, is that it’s GMO. I don’t think it’s possible or wise to attempt to fix the problem by further tampering with our food supply. There are consequences when the food that is used to feed our population is genetically altered. Whether we have discovered it through testing and studies yet or not doesn’t matter. Food was made perfect and is not something that should be altered by people. I think it’s very short sighted to mess with something as vital to life as our food supply and then just cross our fingers and hope that we’re right and it’s safe.
It’s sad that more people don’t understand this until they or their loved ones end up with health problems caused by the standard American diet. After everything I’ve learned because of my daughter’s corn allergy I will never go back to consuming food that is highly processed, GMO, and has dyes, chemicals, and preservatives.
Brenda Said,
April 5, 2013 @ 11:30 am
If you think Biotech will solve food allergies, sir, then clearly you don’t have a member of your family that suffers from them. GMO foods are the CAUSE of most food allergies. There are documented studies that show that food allergies that were unheard of in many countries became epidemic when GMO were introduced to them. If a person is allergic to say corn, and a corn gene is inserted into another plant, like a potato, now the allergic person risks reacting to the corn protein in the potato and developing an allergy to it. God made our food in the way it was intended to be consumed. For man to alter it in the name of the bottom dollar is not going to (nor has it had) a good outcome for anyone but the companies monopolizing GMO’s and convincing the FDA that they are safe, and duping unsuspecting consumers. Shame on you.
Myron Aube Said,
June 7, 2013 @ 4:36 am
Shots might seem like an unusual way to treat allergies, but they’re effective at decreasing sensitivity to triggers. The substances in the shots are chosen according to the allergens identified from a person’s medical history and by the allergist during the initial testing. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees the standards used in preparing the materials for allergy shots given in the United States.
Margit Pauza Said,
June 20, 2013 @ 10:57 pm
Food allergy affects an estimated 6 to 8 percent of children under age 5, and about 3 to 4 percent of adults. While there’s no cure, some children outgrow their food allergy as they get older. It’s easy to confuse a food allergy with a much more common reaction known as food intolerance. While bothersome, food intolerance is a less serious condition that does not involve the immune system. ‘-.;
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