Canadians on centre stage at controversial biotech livestock conference. Way back in 1982, the scientists responsible for the creation of the first genetically engineered animal knew there would be no appetite to eat their supermouse, but they realized their special critter would help researchers create GE fish and livestock that could one day end up on dinner plates. [News Source]

New Concerns About Mad Cow Disease Highlight Importance of Chronix Blood Test That Can Detect BSE Before Symptoms Appear SIOUX FALLS, S.D. & SAN JOSE, Calif.----Chronix Biomedical today announced that its CEO, Dr. Howard Urnovitz, will discuss the company’s unique DNA biomarker technology for the detection of bovine spongiform encephalopathy , or mad cow disease, on a panel at the South Dakota Biotech Association’s Livestock Network conference. [News Source]

Food safety under microscope amid contaminated meat crisis. Recent claims that more than 11 tons of contaminated meat were put on the Turkish market and eventually consumed have opened food safety – an already troubled issue in the country – up to debate once again. [News Source]

The case for eating meat. In Meat: A Benign Extravagance, author Simon Fairlie offers a wealth of evidence to show that the case for a wholesale switch to vegetarianism is based on wrong assumptions, misleading assertions and statistical sleight of hand. [News Source]

Bed bugs: Their press rivals Bristol’s. Like most fall freakfests - think swine flu, avian flu, anthrax, mad cow disease, ebola, even the Y2K bug - this one has some serious bonafides. [News Source]

Plaque attack: what insulin can do Neuroscientist William Klein of Northwestern University in Chicago says that insulin helps the brain break down waste that interferes with its ability to function. One bit of junk can be especially troubling – a tiny, soluble molecule he describes as a precursor to amyloid beta, a protein fragment and the notorious sticky building-block of brain plaques. [News Source]

A toast to my dear friend Jim My friend Jim Barker died last week. [News Source]

Don’t be afraid of Frankenfish. Public dialogue is important, but the discourse must be based on sound science. And regarding faster-growing salmon—and other genetically engineered foods of the future—science shows clearly that they can provide us with the safe and sustainable food source we need. [News Source]

Frankenfish — genetically modified salmon — take food and ecology to a new level. Genetically modified salmon need to be studied and very closely monitored before and after FDA approval. If the US proceeds with genetically altered animals, that argues for labeling that would allow individuals to make their own choice about such foods. [News Source]

Something could be fishy. Salmon that have been genetically engineered to grow twice as fast as wild salmon are not ready for an appearance on the American dinner plate. [News Source]