Category Archives: biotechnology

Ethics of the World’s First Synthetic Burger

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Chris MacDonald

So, the world’s first synthetic burger has been cultured, minced, fried and consumed. (Mark Post, the scientist who conceived of and grew the synthetic burger, had announced a year and a half ago his near-term intention to produce and test … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, animal rights, animal welfare, biotechnology, ethics, factory farms, meat, natural, science | 4 Comments

Consumer Rights and GMO Labelling: Proposition 37

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Chris MacDonald

Over on my Business Ethics Blog, I recently posted an entry on “GMO Labelling and Consumer Rights.” That entry overlaps partially with a previous blog entry of mine on this blog, called “The Right to Know What I’m Eating.” The … Continue reading →

Posted in biotechnology, genetic modification, GMO, law | 2 Comments

Could GMO Technology Make Tomatoes More Authentic?

Posted on July 2, 2012 by Chris MacDonald

The LA Times ran an interesting piece a couple of days ago about Why supermarket tomatoes tend to taste bland. It turns out, according to new scientific research, that the hybridization carried out by tomato breeders over the last several … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biotechnology, genes, genetic modification, GMO, natural, values | Comments Off on Could GMO Technology Make Tomatoes More Authentic?

Who Wants Test-Tube Meat?

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Chris MacDonald

Sonja Puzic, for CTVNews.ca, asks: Would you eat meat grown in a test tube? When a Dutch scientist declared last month that he could have the world’s first lab-grown hamburger on the grill by October, the Internet was abuzz with … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, animal welfare, biotechnology, genetic modification, GMO, industrial, meat, science, synthetic meat, values | Comments Off on Who Wants Test-Tube Meat?

Monsanto Wins on Sugar Beets

Posted on February 25, 2011 by Chris MacDonald

By Karen Gullo, for Bloomberg: Monsanto Wins Reversal of Order to Destroy Sugar Beet Plants Monsanto Co. and the U.S. Agriculture Department won reversal of a judge’s order to destroy genetically modified sugar beet seedlings planted last year, a federal … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biotechnology, ecosystems, ethics, genetic modification, GMO, law, USDA | Comments Off on Monsanto Wins on Sugar Beets

Would You Like Your Synthetic Meat GM or Non-GM?

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Chris MacDonald

This news story is not exactly news. We already know that synthetic meat is under development in various labs around the world. But it does raise a fresh issue or two. By Harriet McLeo, for Reuters: South Carolina scientist works … Continue reading →

Posted in animal welfare, biotechnology, ethics, genes, GMO, industrial, meat, natural, science, synthetic meat, values | 9 Comments

Water-Efficient Maize and Alternative Models for GM Seeds

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Yesterday’s blog entry (“In Praise of Industrialized Food”) pointed out that we shouldn’t discount entirely the value and potential of mass-produced food simply because so much of the mass-produced food currently available leaves much to be desired, nutritionally. Today’s is … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biotechnology, ethics, farmers, genetic modification, GMO, science | Comments Off on Water-Efficient Maize and Alternative Models for GM Seeds

Chef Moonen vs the GM Salmon

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Chef Rick Moonen (writing for CNN) wants you to Say no to genetically engineered salmon …I was alarmed to learn early this month that the Food and Drug Administration announced with “reasonable certainty” that a new genetically modified Atlantic salmon … Continue reading →

Posted in aquaculture, biotechnology, ethics, fisheries, genetic modification, GMO | 1 Comment

Will Chefs Serve GM Salmon?

Posted on September 12, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Will chefs at your better restaurants serve the genetically-modified salmon that is very likely soon to be approved by the FDA and that will likely be available for purchase by 2010? Interesting question! For a hint at the answer, see … Continue reading →

Posted in aquaculture, biotechnology, ethics, genetic modification, GMO, restaurants | Comments Off on Will Chefs Serve GM Salmon?

GM Foods and PLU Codes

Posted on September 9, 2010 by Chris MacDonald

Can PLU (Price Look-Up) codes help concerned consumers avoid genetically-modified foods? No. The idea that a 5-digit PLU beginning with “8” is a reliable guide to the genetic characteristics of a piece of produce has spread around the internet like … Continue reading →

Posted in biotechnology, certifiction, ethics, genetic modification, GMO, labeling, organic | 19 Comments