US scientists make pigs with heart-healthy fats

Steve - I know this has been all over the news, but we could not help commenting on it.

U.S. scientists said on Sunday they had genetically engineered pigs that make beneficial fatty acids and may one day serve as a healthier source of pork chops or bacon.

The pigs produced omega-3 fatty acids, compounds that have been shown to improve cardiac function and reduce the risk of heart disease in people.

The only way now for humans to get omega-3s is through taking dietary supplement pills or by eating certain fish.

Seeking another source of omega-3s, researchers transferred a worm gene called fat-1 into pig cells in a laboratory. They used cloning technology to create embryonic cells that were implanted into the womb of a normal pig.

The gene produced an enzyme that converted the less desirable omega-6 fatty acids that the pigs naturally produced into omega-3s, the researchers wrote in the journal Nature Biotechnology.

It is encouraging to see this kind of breakthrough. Although, I would be hesitant to recommend this source of protein until plenty of research and tracking can rule out the potential for harm. Animals used to produce sufficient amounts of omega 3 fatty acids by eating what they were meant to eat. For example, in the case of cows, they produce sufficient amounts of omega 3s in their milk and meat when grass-fed as opposed to grain fed.