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“Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

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Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#31

Post by scoofy »

I actually am getting more concerned about transgenic food. Nassim Taleb’s arguments about limited upside with unlikely, but massive downside of these organisms if they have unexpected outcomes.

I’m obviously fine with genetic modification to plants to create crossbreeds of various types of, say, lettuce, but it seems like we are trying to change out plants instead of trying to change our farming practices.

---

Edit: since people are likely looking for a citation here, and are likely to down by default (again, I don't think their is anything "wrong" or "unhealthy" about genetically modification), I'll add one of his papers on the subject. Again, the concern is only to do with the effects that significant modification could have on wild species, and not on consumption:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267214303_The_Preca...

>Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and their risk are currently the subject of debate. Here we argue that they fall squarely under the PP [Precautionary Principle] because their risk is systemic. There are two aspects of systemic risk, the widespread impact on the ecosystem and the widespread impact on health.

>Ecologically, in addition to intentional cultivation, GMOs have the propensity to spread uncontrollably, and thus their risks cannot be localized. The cross-breeding of wild-type plants with genetically modified ones prevents their disentangling, leading to irreversible system-wide effects with unknown downsides. The ecological implications of releasing modified organisms into the wild are not tested empirically before release.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#32

Post by brnaftr361 »

oniony wrote: post #17

Amazing. Lettuce that has increased beta carotene content – something we can already get from carrots – and, as a bonus, now looks unappetisingly like past-its-best regular lettuce.

Golden rice had the same problem if I recall correctly. The populations that it was designed to serve were reluctant to eat it because the yellow coloration was similar to that of a particular species of mold they were enculturated to avoid.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#33

Post by throwup238 »

hagbard_c wrote: post #12
goda90 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Higher atmospheric CO2 is actually causing this all around the world. Faster, bigger plants with less nutrient density.

How then did the Plioocene megafauna grow so large if the plants they consumed were 'faster, bigger [...] with less nutrient density'? https://www.rmets.org/event/pliocene-last-time-earth-had-400... The last time carbon dioxide was so plentiful in our planet's atmosphere was in the Pliocene era, around 3 million years ago. Life on Earth was dominated by giant mammals; humans and chimps had shared their last common an…

> How then did the Plioocene megafauna grow so large if the plants they consumed were 'faster, bigger [...] with less nutrient density'?

Herbivores are adapted to extracting nutrients from a food source that isn't nutrient or calorie dense. Compared to carnivores, they eat a massive amount of food relative to their body weight. If a food source is less nutritious, they just eat more of it.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#34

Post by kyleblarson »

Buttons840 wrote: post #10
Buttons840 wrote: post #7

I wanted to say something in favor of sweet potatoes, so did some research: [0] says: The best lettuce has 2.5mg of beta-carotene in 47g of lettuce. The best sweet potato has 31mg of beta-carotene in 328g of sweet potato (sweet potatoes are the beta-carotene leader BTW :strong:). If this modified lettuce can really have 30 times as much beta-carotene, that's a significant amount. I was expecting the numbers to show t…

Oh, also, if you want a stupidly easy way to eat sweet potatoes, cut one up into bite sized chunks and cook it at 350 fahrenheit for 45 minutes or longer (it won't burn easily at that temperature). No need to remove the skin, but wash it first. They aren't bad even plain. This is an easy no-preperation-necessary to get at least 1 veggie.

As always Cooks Illustrated goes into great detail and there's a link to their final recipe. I've tried it and it is wonderful. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/article...

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#35

Post by gs17 »

redprince wrote: post #28
midwestfounder wrote: post #21

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Golden Rice, developed in the 1980s, which offered similar nutritional benefits. Golden Rice failed to gain significant traction because of dogmatic opposition to bioengineered foods. Personally, I hope Golden Lettuce receives more pragmatic review and support. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_rice

Golden rice attempts to solve a real problem: Vitamin A deficiency in many parts of the world, where rice is also a food staple and where the poorest cannot afford a diet with enough vitamin A in it. Golden lettuce solves what?

Isn't it similar? Beta carotene turns into vitamin A in the body.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#36

Post by slothtrop »

formerly_proven wrote: post #29

Prepare for Greenpeace et al to shoot this down just like Golden Rice. Decades wasted, millions with damaged eyesight because of some weird Westerners with backwards ideas about what's "natural" telling people in the global south how they should live their lives (or rather, should suffer for their ideals).

Does it really matter what Greenpeace does?

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#37

Post by fsckboy »

scoofy wrote: post #31

I actually am getting more concerned about transgenic food. Nassim Taleb’s arguments about limited upside with unlikely, but massive downside of these organisms if they have unexpected outcomes. I’m obviously fine with genetic modification to plants to create crossbreeds of various types of, say, lettuce, but it seems like we are trying to change out plants instead of trying to change our farming practices. --- Edit:…

pretty sure they were actually trying to change this plant without any need to change farming methods, so I think your intuition is on point.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#38

Post by parineum »

scoofy wrote: post #31

I actually am getting more concerned about transgenic food. Nassim Taleb’s arguments about limited upside with unlikely, but massive downside of these organisms if they have unexpected outcomes. I’m obviously fine with genetic modification to plants to create crossbreeds of various types of, say, lettuce, but it seems like we are trying to change out plants instead of trying to change our farming practices. --- Edit:…

I understand these kind of concerns but it's comes from ignorance of context.

Direct genetic modification is an improvement of the previous method of forced mutation by exposing seeds to UV and hoping for positive mutations. That method does not count as GMO.

The major concerns of agriculture are still the same, monocultures and disease vulnerability.

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#39

Post by JumpCrisscross »

scoofy wrote: post #31

I actually am getting more concerned about transgenic food. Nassim Taleb’s arguments about limited upside with unlikely, but massive downside of these organisms if they have unexpected outcomes. I’m obviously fine with genetic modification to plants to create crossbreeds of various types of, say, lettuce, but it seems like we are trying to change out plants instead of trying to change our farming practices. --- Edit:…

> Taleb’s arguments about limited upside with unlikely, but massive downside of these organisms if they have unexpected outcomes

When did Taleb become an expert on bioengineering?

Nassim Taleb is the Malcom Gladwell of popular finance. He had to shutter his fund in 2005 after three consecutive years of losses [1]. (In fairness, after a 50+ percent gain in 2000. Nobody lost money on him. But a 4% CAGR over four years isn't hedge fund stuff, nor qualification to speak authoritatively on finance much less bioengineering.)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirica_Capital

Re: “Golden Lettuce” is genetically engineered to have higher beta-carotene levels

#40

Post by [deleted] »

slothtrop wrote: post #36
formerly_proven wrote: post #29

Prepare for Greenpeace et al to shoot this down just like Golden Rice. Decades wasted, millions with damaged eyesight because of some weird Westerners with backwards ideas about what's "natural" telling people in the global south how they should live their lives (or rather, should suffer for their ideals).

Does it really matter what Greenpeace does?

[deleted]
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