I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade... I just though it would be important to know about this.
Don't take repopulating your intestines with probiotics lightly. There really needs to be serious study of this field to be assure there are no dangers.
I have no idea if any brands of probiotics on the market are GM. It seems wise to be cautious about this.
Beneficial bacteria living in the human gut are now subject to extensive genetic modification that could turn them into pathogens. Prof. Joe Cummins and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho call for a ban on releases of GM probiotics
The fully referenced article is posted on ISIS members' website. Details here.
Probiotics for health
`Probiotics' are naturally occurring beneficial bacteria found in the human gut, and are being added to food for their health-promoting effects.
The probiotics studied most extensively are Bifidobacterium and Lactobaccilus, both derived from fermented milk products. The efficacy of probiotics has been clearly established in recent years.
For example, double blind, randomized trials with probiotics added to milk reduced respiratory infections and the severity of illness among children in a day care setting . Another study showed that probiotic treatment relieved diarrhea in children.
This success has attracted the attention of genetic engineers, who want to "improve" on the successful applications, which probably date back to the beginning of written history.
The cross-talk between the human host and the gut bacteria has evolved over millions of years. Its contributions to the health of the human host depend on an intricate network of bacteria-bacteria and bacteria-host interactions that, if thrown out of balance, will very likely result in disease.
Can GM "improve" probiotic bacteria without turn them into dangerous pathogens?
Probiotic bacteria modulate the immune system and provide an ecological balance in the gut that excludes disease-causing microbes. Germ-free mice bred in the laboratory have less immune cells, and tend to leak more food antigen across the intestinal barrier.
These conditions improve after about a month of exposure to bacteria. Probiotic bacteria must not be pathogenic, however; and it is essential for probiotic treatments to be tested for safety.
The vast majority of applications have been free of pathological outcomes; but there has been one case of local infection from a rogue Lactobacillus strain.
The prospect that genetic modification might "improve" probiotic microbes must be seriously balanced against the potential of turning harmless, beneficial microbes into dangerous pathogens
("No biosecurity without biosafety", ISIS report 16 March 2005), particularly in the case of bacteria that naturally inhabit the human gut.
The complete genome sequence of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus has been determined and features contributing to survival in the gut and promoting interactions with the intestines have been identified.
The genome sequence of Bifidobacterium longum, similarly, reflects its adaptation to the human gastrointestinal tract including potential immuno-modulating proteins.
Milk-fermenting bacteria harbor bacteriophages (viruses), including those that cause diseases, and `temperate phages' capable of integrating their viral genome into the bacterial genome.
Temperate bacteria phages play an important role in horizontal gene transfer among bacteria residing in the same environment, in this case, the human gut.
Genetic modification of bacteria can be done by DNA transformation (direct uptake of DNA), transduction (transfer of genes by temperate bacterial phage) or by the use of plasmids (small circular DNAs that replicate with the bacterial cell but stay outside the bacterial chromosome).
Normally, transgenes are propagated in bacteria in plasmids because DNA transformation is not successful unless the DNA shares homology (sequence similarity) with the bacterial chromosome.
Lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp) have been genetically modified to increase proteolytic activity, to resist viruses, to metabolize complex carbohydrates or to enhance metabolism.
The only modified lactic acid bacterium approved under the EU directive so far is a strain with a modified luciferase gene to detect antibiotic residues in milk, but that strain does not enter the food chain because it is used on a small test sample of milk that is then destroyed.
Dangerous experiments with probiotics
It has been suggested that a random `gene-shuffling' technique should be employed to improve lactic acid bacteria for use as probiotics.
Gene-shuffling is an inherently hazardous procedure that can generate millions of recombinant bacteria in a matter of hours; it will be impossible to predict how many of those might be lethal pathogens ("Death by DNA shuffling", SiS 18 http://www.i-sis.org.uk/isisnews.php).
A United States patent application for recombinant lactic acid bacteria for treating allergy includes fermented milk product (yogurt) containing lactic acid bacteria modified with synthetic genes specifying epitope IgE antibodies (allergy antibodies) on the surface of the bacterium.
Allergy therapy would include eating the recombinant yogurt to suppress the allergy as the natural allergen is encountered. This kind of `therapy' must be treated with extreme caution.
Experience tells us that interfering with the immune system can lead to nasty surprises, as in the case of the harmless mousepox virus that turned into a lethal pathogen when a gene that was supposed to boost antibody production was inserted into it.
In another experiment, a Lactobacterium strain of human origin was modified with a gene for tetanus toxin to produce antigen to immunize against tetanus.
The recombinant lactic acid bacterium was delivered as a nasal spray to provide a strong immunization. No consideration has been given to the distinct possibility that the tetanus toxin gene could easily be passed along to a pathogen.
Genetic engineers are also identifying Bifidobacteria probiotic strains and thinking of `enhancing' them by genetic modification.
Plasmid vectors belonging to Bifidobacteria or shuttle plasmid vectors for transferring genes between E. coli and Bifidobacteria are being used, so far, to study the role of Bifidobacteria in the gut ecosystem rather than in the production of modified probiotic strains.
The instability of recombinant plasmids has proved an obstacle to industrial exploitation of GM Bifidobacteria.
Furthermore, gene transfer was observed in the digestive system of previously germ free mice between Lactobacteria and Bifidobacteria, suggesting that GM probiotic strains would alter the entire microbial ecology of the digestive tract in an unpredictable manner.
A recent review stressed the huge market for probiotics in Europe, pointing to the value of molecular genetic technology in characterizing and identifying many probiotic microbes.
An earlier review discussed bacterial replacement therapy as a form of "germ warfare" to prevent and control infections of skin, oral cavity, ears and uro-genital tract.
The friendly probiotic bacteria are used to colonize the gut microflora to eliminate or minimize pathogens from establishing themselves.
That approach has proved successful in controlling dental caries, ear infections and streptococcal diseases. In some rare instances, the "friendly" bacteria had antibiotic resistance markers or were genetically modified.
No GM bacteria must be allowed for probiotic use
The study of bacteria colonizing the human gut has only just begun.
There are ten times more bacteria than there are cells in the intestine, consisting of more than 400 different species; the overwhelming majority of the species still unknown.
Prof. Tore Midtvedt, who pioneered the use of germ-free mice to study gut bacteria, was among the first to demonstrate the importance contribution of individual bacteria to the development of the immune system of the gut.
In view of our vast ignorance of gut ecology, we cannot allow genetically modified probiotic bacteria to be used, unless and until we fully understand the intricate ecological balances that have co-evolved with the human species.
There should be a ban on the use of any GM probiotic bacteria in human subjects.
The study of bacteria colonizing the human gut has only just begun. There are ten times more bacteria than there are cells in the intestine, consisting of more than 400 different species; the overwhelming majority of the species still unknown.
Prof. Tore Midtvedt, who pioneered the use of germ-free mice to study gut bacteria, was among the first to demonstrate the importance contribution of individual bacteria to the development of the immune system of the gut.
In view of our vast ignorance of gut ecology, we cannot allow genetically modified probiotic bacteria to be used, unless and until we fully understand the intricate ecological balances that have co-evolved with the human species.
There should be a ban on the use of any GM probiotic bacteria in human subjects.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
EXCELLENT, Sparkle! I definately agree.
I had a little trouble following some of the author's train of thought, but there's no question as to the potential dangers of tweaking the genetics of gut flora (among other things).
Thanks! Posted by D Bergy (Member # 9984) on :
I would also avoid genetically altered foods. Processed foods with soy or corn have about a 70% chance of containing genetically altered ingredients.
None of this stuff has ever been tested for safety on humans. Some animal studies are indicating it is not safe to eat.
You can tell if fruit or vegetables are genetically modified by the sticker on them. The following example is from Dr. Mercola's site.
Those little stickers on fruit and vegetables contain different PLU codes depending on whether the fruit was conventionally grown, organically grown or genetically engineered. The PLU code for conventionally grown fruit consists of four numbers, organically grown fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 9, and GM fruit five numbers prefaced by the number 8.
Great! We've got a good mix in our gut that's proved itself for eons & now they want to go "improving" it. I'm afraid any short-term tests on "genetically-modified" bifidus or acidophilus would be nearly worthless. It would make us all guinea pigs if these strains started to get patented & packaged.
{NEW! SUPER_Yogurt! NOW With Altaveena P406! }
Good GOD. Can't they leave well enough ALONE?? Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
I think this is a big thing for the food industry... I think they call it foodaceuticals or something.
Check this out -
Puleva Biotech's human milk probiotic debuts in Spain
They are crossing probiotics from human breast milk with goat milk & using it for infant formula...
Note how they talk about the women they got the breast milk samples from.
Maybe it's beneficial but we just don't know. It's just kind of bizarre to me.
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Puleva Biotech's human milk probiotic debuts in Spain By Jess Halliday, 02-Feb-2006
Related topics: Science & Nutrition
The first consumer product containing a probiotic strain derived from human milk by Puleva Biotech has launched in Spain, and the company hopes it may find a home in other foods for infants and adults.
The fermented dairy product is marketed under the Max Defensas brand by Ebro Puleva, Puleva Biotech's patent company, and aimed at boosting the immune systems of children aged between four and 12 years.
It contains two probiotic strains: Lactobacillus gasseri from human milk. Lactobacillus coryneformis from goats cheese.
Puleva Biotec has been working in collaboration with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid since 1999 to identify beneficial strains from human milk. The result is the Hereditum line of probiotic bacteria, which consists of two Lactobacillus gasseri strains and one Lactobacillus fermentum.
The origin is unusual since most probiotic strains on the market were isolated from intestinal samples.
Researchers first identified probiotic bacteria in breast milk during the 1970s but it was not clear where the bacteria had come from.
Then in the late 1980s Swedish firm BioGaia isolated strains of lactic acid bacteria from Peruvian mothers living in the highlands and screened them in their US laboratories for potential probiotic properties. This led to the development of its well-known Lactobacillus reuteri.
Managing vice-director Julio Boza told NutraIngredients.com that the timing of Puleva Biotech's research was fortuitous.
"We have taken advantage of the fact that we came to the probiotic area later," he said. "We have been able to select the bacteria using the criteria that others are using."
The strains were selected from around 200 samples based on between 40 and 50 selection criteria.
This has meant that the researchers have been able to be confident about the strains, and aspects such as their probiotic capabilities, fermentation profiles, safety and ability to inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria.
Once Puleva Biotech had selected strains, it developed a way to produce them through fermentation and scale up production. It has built a plant for this purpose; although it is currently only producing around 30,000 kg per year, Boza said that the plant is quite versatile and capacity can be stepped up as needed.
Although the first product containing a Hereditum strain has been introduced through Puleva Biotech's patent company, it is looking for outside partners who may wish to develop others.
In particular it believes the Hereditum strains could find a natural home in infant formulas, which Boza called "a hot topic right now".
It makes sense. After all, these bacteria are transferred to babies from their mothers to help shore up their immune systems.
This mother-baby transfer was investigated in a study published in the December 2003 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics (143: 754-8). Researchers from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, backed by Puleva Biotech, confirmed that lactic acid bacteria in human milk "may have an endogenous origin and may not be the result of contamination from the surrounding breast skin".
The scientists studied bacteria isolated from the mammary areola, breast skin and vagina of eight mothers to compare it with the bacteria found in the gut of infants. They also tested samples of infant faeces and oral bacteria to assess whether breast milk contained the bacteria that colonised the infant's digestive tract.
The results suggest that bacteria in breast milk could be a natural probiotic for newborns. Moreover there is a strong possibility that the strains could be used in products aimed at adults.
"The singular origin of Hereditum makes them not only exceptional candidates for their use in infant nutrition, but also for several other applications in functional foods due to their excellent probiotic potential and technological versatility that ensures their maximum functionality and performance," says the company. "This is the case for dairy products, fermented or not, sugar rich matrices."
The Lactobacillus gasseri 19 CECT5714 and Lactobacillus coryniformis CECT5711 strains have been tested on adult humans in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled clinical trial, for their effect on several blood and fecal parameters, most of them related to the host intestinal function.
The 30 healthy adults received either a standard yoghurt or one in which the Lactobacillus delbreuckii subsp. Bulgaricus yogurt strain had been replaced by the two Puleva Biotech strains.
The concentration of fecal lactic acid bacteria was seen to significantly increase in the probiotic group, as were the production of 25 short chain fatty acids, the fecal moisture and the frequency and volume of the stools.
"The volunteers assigned to the probiotic group perceived a clear improvement in their intestinal habits. The study revealed that probiotics may exert a positive effect on healthy adults," wrote the researchers in the International Journal of Food Microbiology (published online in November 2005 ahead of print).
Boza dismissed the notion that adults may find the probiotic's origins off-putting.
"We take the position that it is found in the best and richest functional food we can have [ie human breast milk]," he said.
Frost & Sullivan has predicted that the probiotics market could increase as much as threefold this decade, to be worth $137.9 million (�118.5m) in Europe in 2010, and $394 million in the US.
Posted by 'Kete-tracker (Member # 17189) on :
I will be sure to avoid any Peluva [Biotech] proboitic products. Bizarre's a good word for it. bleEECH! (or would it be, "BA-a-a-a-a-a!" :>~ )
Posted by sparkle7 (Member # 10397) on :
Thanks for the info Dan- We don't know what will happen to us or the environment with all of this GM "stuff". The EU is very against it in many ways but the science is still marching forward.
The next thing on the agenda is cloned meat...
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Thanks for that info, Dan - didn't know HOW we were supposed to tell what was what.
Cloned meat.... well, it should be a big clue that cloned animals don't usually live very long....
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