Feed: a food systems podcast Does CRISPR make our food unnatural? (with Lauren Crossland-Marr)
May 2, 2024
In this engaging discussion, food anthropologist Lauren Crossland-Marr delves into the world of CRISPR and gene-edited foods. She compares traditional breeding with modern gene editing, emphasizing the speed and precision of CRISPR. Lauren shares intriguing insights from her research, including a GABA-enhanced tomato and the skepticism surrounding it. She also highlights the polarized views on what 'natural' means, the potential benefits of gene technologies, and the importance of regulation in a rapidly evolving food landscape. This thought-provoking conversation challenges listeners to reconsider the future of our food systems.
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Time Is The Key Difference In Breeding
- Traditional breeding works across generations and takes much longer than lab-based methods.
- CRISPR shortens timescales by precisely targeting genes for change.
Profit Shapes Which Biotech Projects Win
- Business incentives often shape which biotech projects reach market more than public-good goals.
- Belinda Martineau grew concerned that profit motives were steering GMO research away from purely scientific aims.
Communicate CRISPR Honestly To The Public
- Be transparent about CRISPR's real capabilities and limits when communicating to the public.
- Give people tools to understand the technology instead of promising it will solve grand challenges.
