Mmmmmmmmm... Omega-3 Fatty Pork Rinds
These pigs carry a gene that helps their bodies produce a healthier fat, known as omega-3 fatty acid.
Here's my motto: mo' bacon, mo' better. I would eat a succulent pig product at every meal if I wasn't worried about dying an early death. There's nothing like the grave to cut into your enjoyment of a pulled pork sandwich.
But finally, technology is living up to its promise and providing me with a genetically engineered pig that produces omega-3 fatty acids, the healthy fat found in fish. (Joe Palca had a report on this yesterday.)
I should have stopped reading the story at this point and gone out for a bratwurst, but no, I had to read on. It seems that this genetic miracle was accomplished using a gene from an earthworm. Hmmmmm. No one has actually tasted the miracle pig to see if it tastes like pork, fish or, god-forbid, worm. The killjoys at the FDA won't let you try it... something about keeping cloned, genetically altered, mutant meat freaks out the folks charged with protecting the food supply.
But once this kind of secret is out, you can't stuff the sausage back into the casing. Baby back ribs... the new broccoli?
Mutant Piggies: Flax Seed
Why not just feed pigs flax seed to increase the Omega-3 content? They do it with chickens. But th-th-th-th-thats not all in these mutant little piggies -- they are still very high in saturated fat and therefore would still not particularly healthy to eat -- if they were edible.
Miracle Pig: Hormones
Creating a genetically engineered, miracle pig does not change the practices of our commerical feed lots - where our food stock routinely receive weight gaining hormones and heavy doses of antibiotics. I get the point about saver pork, but these other safety issues need to be addressed first.
Health Values of Eating Earthworms
So, is anyone researching the health values of eating earthworms? Skip the genetic meddling, get a worm-eating compost box for your kitchen scraps, and there you are.
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