Genetic engineering has raised moral and medical concerns as science and agriculture blur the line between processed foods and natural foods. Though it hasn't been scientifically proven, some fear that eating meat or drinking milk from genetically altered animals could lead to premature puberty in girls or generally increase consumers' risk of cancer. When it comes to genetically engineered milk, however, a review of the facts shows that health risks haven't been firmly established and could be overblown.
Background
Dairy producers discovered in the 1930s that cows injected with material from the hormone-secreting organ from bovine pituitary glands -- bovine growth hormone, or bGH -- produced more milk than average cows. However, it wasn't until the 1980s that technology allowed corporations to exploit this for commercial gain. The Monsanto Corporation was the first to patent recombinant Bovine Somatotropine, or rBST, which is another term for bGH. The FDA approved it for milk production in 1993, and it became available for commercial use in 1994.
Controversy Over Growth Hormone Milk
In the U.S., scientists have conducted numerous studies saying genetically modified milk affects humans exactly the same way regular milk does, but a European study suggests that cows injected with rBST have a five times' greater rise in their levels of insulin-like growth factor, or IGF-1. If IGF-1 gets into the bloodstream of human drinkers, some evidence suggests it could cause breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. However, the FDA's studies found that humans who drank rBST milk had less than a 0.1-percent increase in IGF-1 and that the substance stayed in the gut rather than passing into the bloodstream, so it posed no health risk.
Benefits of Growth Hormone Milk
In 2007, Henry I. Miller, a former head of the FDA's Office of Biotechnology, wrote an article for the "New York Times" stating that "studies by academics and government regulatory agencies around the world have found no differences in the composition of milk or meat from rBST-supplemented cows." He wrote that cows injected with rBST produce almost a gallon more milk per day than the average cow. This reduces dairy farmers' costs as they get more product for less investment of cattle feed and "the amount of land required to raise the cattle and grow their food is reduced by more than 417 square miles," according to Miller.
Cow Milk and Human Milk
In 2011, the "Telegraph" newspaper reported that China University's State Key Laboratories for AgroBiotechnology was using cloning technology to combine human genes with dairy cows to produce "human-like" milk that can serve as a substitute for human breast milk. Professor Ning Lee, the leader of this research, stated, "For the 'human-like milk,' ten years or maybe more time will be required to finally pour this enhanced milk into the consumer's cup."
References
- Live Science; The Truth Behind Early Puberty; Christopher Wanjek; Sep. 2007
- Cornell University: Consumer Concerns About Hormones in Food; Jun. 2000
- American University: Milk Wars
- New York Times; Don't Cry Over rBST Milk; Henry I. MIiller; Jun. 29, 2007
- The Telegraph; Genetically Modified Cows Produce 'Human' Milk; Richard Gray; Apr. 2011
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