Feed: Slashdot
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Title: US Approves CRISPR Pigs For Food

Link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/05/02/1...

The FDA has approved gene-edited pigs for human consumption, potentially
marking the first major commercial application of CRISPR technology in the
food chain. Created by British company Genus, these pigs have had their DNA
modified to remove the receptor that the porcine reproductive and respiratory
syndrome (PRRS) virus uses to enter cells, rendering them immune to 99% of
known virus variants. PRRS causes losses of approximately $300 million
annually in the US alone by killing piglets and spreading rapidly through
factory farms. According to Matt Culbertson, chief operating officer of Genus
subsidiary Pig Improvement Company, the gene-edited pork could reach US
markets sometime next year. Before launching sales to pig farms, Genus must
secure regulatory approval in key export markets including Mexico, Canada,
Japan, and China.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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