It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's Supercarrot!

News & Analysis
In the News Gristmill Blog Muckraker Podcast Features

Columns
Ask Umbra® Victual Reality Weekly Recipes The Bottom Line From A to Green The Grist List

Support nonprofit, independent environmental journalism.
Donate to Grist.

ADVERTISING POLICY

[Advanced]

Read more about: food | GMOs | news | scientific research | all of these topics

Tools: print | email | write to the editor | subscribe | RSS

Scientists unveil genetically modified calcium-boosting supercarrot

Posted at 9:29 AM on 15 Jan 2008

U.S. scientists have unveiled a new "supercarrot" genetically modified to provide extra calcium, which they hope could ultimately help ward off osteoporosis. Say what you will about genetic modification, but you can't deny that picturing a carrot flying across the sky in a cape is funny.

sources: BBC News, The Telegraph

ADVERTISING POLICY

< Previous | Next >

Comments: (7 comments)

You are not logged in. Thus, you cannot post a comment. If you have a Gristmill account, log in below. If you don't have a Gristmill account, well, by all means go make one! Meet you back here in five.

Towing the line of PR News

Coming Grist, what's up with giving space (without critique) to PR News about GMO foods.

There's no data to prove that the "extra calcium" prevents osteoporosis
How can GMO creators be on one hand getting approval because their foods are not substantially different than conventional foods... while at the same time marketing otherwise?

Not much better coverage than a VNR on Fox.

~ charles uchu ~

by charlesuchu at 7:44 AM on 16 Jan 2008

public relations

Almost all news is pubic relations news these days. Everyone seems to have an agenda. And is it really Grist's job to critique ALL of the news from a far-left environmentalist's perspective?

Perhaps the Grist individual who posted the story did not feel a critique was necessary. That it involves a genetically modified carrot is not sufficient reason to view this event as a threat to the environment. I'm not even sure why this particular GMO is an environmental issue.

Charles Uchu, it might be up to YOU to provide a critique! The item is out there for discussion. Please tell us why a carrot delivering extra calcium is a threat to the biosphere.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not sure this carrot is necessary. I'll have to track down the original paper. Is there an epidemic of people chowing down on too many carrots and not getting enough calcium from other foods. Grains and other staples are a different matter.

I appreciate Grist's making an effort to present different views.

Thanks.

by wiscidea at 10:54 AM on 16 Jan 2008
[ Parent ]

PS

You probably mean "toeing the line".

I'm sure caniscandida will clarify this matter if he sees this post.

by wiscidea at 10:55 AM on 16 Jan 2008

Bad calcium, and different views

All those quack doctors telling women to take more calcium are wrong? I suggest you actually read the linked articles and inform yourself from other sources. The testing with mice and now humans proves that high calcium carrots raises calcium blood levels more than regular carrots, and without taking any pills. The test was 100 grams carrots per day. The increased absorption was almost double.

The carrots are NOT "substantially" different than regular carrots. They differ in only one very minor aspect..... more calcium.

I am looking for different views on this carrot at Google but can't yet find anything "substantial".

by Boyscientist at 10:21 AM on 17 Jan 2008

GMO carrot environmental threat?

As a new reader here I have just checked the "ABOUT GRIST" link to find out what this site is "about". There is no requirement that the subject be about environmental threats. The title of this piece qualifies it for inclusion. Where is your sense of humor?

by Boyscientist at 10:40 AM on 17 Jan 2008

Extra calcium not helpful?

A Google search for "dietary calcium osteoporosis" show NO indication of the claim made above by Charles Uchu. Hint. It's a trick question.

I only checked the first 100 hits but all confirm that rate of osteoporosis is reduced if the person has ENOUGH calcium and increases if calcium is deficient. Adding extra calcium won't help if you have enough already. It DOES help if you are deficient and there are plenty of clinical trials to confirm that conclusion. Current statistics collected by the US government report that only 21% of Americans are getting enough calcium.

Furthermore, dietary calcium (like in carrots) is more effective than supplemental calcium. The FDA has recently amended their recommendations to include the beneficial effects of vitamin-D on osteoporosis.

Ain't Google wonderful?

by Boyscientist at 7:42 PM on 17 Jan 2008

PR News is not science

Reading the subsequent comments here since my original post. The misinformation seemed to flow more fully with postings from boyscientist.

The test they did was on urine not blood. Big difference.
The test they did was on a total of 30 human subjects. That's not much sampling.
The lead scientist on the matter said there was still significant testing to be done, including "safety issues to address".

Don't buy PR news as science. Grist is doing a disservice by re-posting PR News.

~ charles uchu ~

by charlesuchu at 7:01 PM on 04 May 2008

The comments of Grist users reflect the opinions of those individuals only, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Grist, its staff, its board members, their psychotherapists, or their aestheticians. Got it?