We know that allergies can be a terrible blight on children’s lives, so I was interested to read that two to three percent of infants in developed countries are allergic to the proteins found in cows’ milk.
The dairy industry has used digestive enzymes to reduce the amount of these proteins in formula milk. Unfortunately, it appears that the process doesn’t always work. It can also cause the milk to have a bitter taste.
Now, scientists from Waikato University in New Zealand have developed a way of producing milk that contains only low levels of the offending proteins. Their research is reported in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They believe that their work might lead eventually to the sale of ‘hypoallergenic’ milk.
A palatable solution, you might suggest – except that, according to the press, the process involves ‘the creation of a genetically modified cow’.
It’s not going to be anywhere near the marketplace soon, but might it be one of the first cases of GM technology bringing recognised health benefits to consumers? Could it lead to consumers having a more open mind on genetic modification?