First people were incensed when Chef Daniel Angerer crafted a cheese out of breast milk; then they were grossed out when a restaurant in London started selling breast milk ice cream. It seemed like there was no hope for breast milk enthusiasts to get their favorite product introduced into their normal diets...until now.
Scientists from the China Agricultural University have successfully introduced human genes into 300 dairy cows to produce milk with the same properties as human breast milk. The hybrid is here, it's safe and it's allegedly quite tasty, but it may take awhile to get it into stores: "The milk tastes stronger than normal milk. We aim to commercialize some research in this area in coming three years. For the 'human-like milk,' 10 years or maybe more time will be required to finally pour this enhanced milk into the consumer’s cup,” said Professor Ning Li, the scientist who led the research.
Scientists have long wanted to find a way to reproduce the nutrients in human breast milk, which can help to boost the immune system of babies and reduce the risk of infections. The scientists believe the milk from the genetically modified cows could be the solution, an easily accessible alternative to human and formula milk both. “Human milk contains the ‘just right’ proportions of protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins for an infant’s optimal growth and development. As our daily food, the cow’s milk provided us the basic source of nutrition. But the digestion and absorption problems made it not the perfect food for human being," said Li.
But that doesn't mean it won't be a battle to get it into stores. Many groups have already objected to using genetically modified cows, and point out, among other things, the ethical implications of mass producing animals: "We have major concerns about this research to genetically modify cows with human genes. There are major welfare issues with genetically modified animals as you get high numbers of still births," said Helen Wallace, director of biotechnology monitoring group GeneWatch UK.
So here's the question: is drinking human breast milk from a genetically modified cow any different from drinking human breast milk to you? Does it gross you out, or does it sound delicious? And how much would you pay for ice cream made out of it?
