One of the several genetically engineered synthetic Frankenfoods that should be taken off the market by Trump’s new Health and Human Services Department and its Food and Drug Administration is Perfect Day’s synthetic whey protein, made from a genetically engineered fungus. It's the main ingredient in Bored Cow's synthetic "milk."
TAKE ACTION: Tell Trump’s new FDA to Take Bored Cow’s GMO Microbe “Milk” Off the Market!
This GMO fungus “milk” got GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status in 2020 even though the synthetic whey protein was contaminated with heavy metals and genetically engineered fungal proteins that are similar to known allergens. This was in the first administration of President Donald Trump. His FDA Commissioner at the time was Dr. Stephen Hahn, who went from that role through the proverbial revolving door to a job as the chief medical officer of Flagship Pioneering, the venture capital firm behind the synthetic biology companies Moderna and Editas.
According to the information submitted by Perfect Day to the FDA, the level of T. reesei (the genetically engineered fungus that produces the synthetic protein) in the product is up to 6.7 percent. Three T. reesei proteins showed some similarity (ranging from 35-42%) to known allergens (Cryptomeria, Juniperus; Penicillium chrysogenum; House dust mites). The product also contains arsenic at 16.8 ppb. (There is no safe level of arsenic. The EPA takes action when water samples are over 10 ppb.) And, lead at 59.3 ppb. (There is no safe level of lead. The EPA takes action when water samples are over 15 ppb.) That’s according to Perfect Day.
Independent testing conducted by scientist John Fagan of the Health Research Institute (HRI) found that there is very little bioidentical whey protein in the Perfect Day product. In fact, most of the product is composed of genetically engineered fungal proteins. These proteins have never been part of the human diet before, and some (at least 92) are unidentifiable, being unknown to science. They may be waste products of, or contamination from, the GMO fungus or its feedstocks. Whatever they are, they haven’t been submitted to the FDA for GRAS status! Neither has GMO T. reesei!
What happens to humans who drink genetically engineered fungus “milk”? No one knows. There haven’t even been animal feeding studies.
Cow’s milk contains unique nutrition that isn’t possible for a genetically engineered fungus to imitate. It might have the same amount of “protein,” but it’s missing other nutrients, except those that are added in synthetic form, like a multivitamin.
Real milk, especially unprocessed, non-homogenized raw milk, has naturally occurring bioavailable vitamins, minerals, enzymes, beneficial bacteria, naturally occurring CLA, and omega-3 fatty acids. Bored Cow synthetic “whey protein” from genetically engineered fungus has none of this, and even gets its taste from added sugar, salt and flavors.
Scientists are never going to be able to replicate cow’s milk in the lab. Instead of wasting time and money on that, we should transition industrial agriculture back to small-scale diversified family farms that regeneratively graze their dairy cows.
TAKE ACTION: Tell Trump’s new FDA to Take Bored Cow’s GMO Microbe “Milk” Off the Market!