human gelatine - feel sick at the thought!

[nightcat]

[[http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/human-gelatin-to-be-used-in-snacks
here]]


time to give up all processed foods methinks

[thisisyesterday]

oh but it's noit like they're actually getting it from human bodies. just using dna to grow it

tbh the thought of any kind of gelatine is pretty gross isn't it?

[nightcat]

well, we know what happened when we fed sheep to cows...

I don't have a problem with animal-derived jelly (sweet or savoury) and I think it helps to build connective tissue, but I would hate to know human version is hidden in foods and I doubt it would be shown on the label, then what

[AMumInScotland]

I don't get why they would want to do it - there are other vegetarian gelling agents if they want to avoid using animal gelatine. I don't see any need for a new (controversial) product - there isn't a gap in the market for it

[thisisyesterday]

i am pretty sure it would have to be shown on the label... but like i say, it isn't actually from human bodies is it? it's just using human dna to build gelatine

i don't think it would work for most veggies though tbh!

I don't actually think I have a problem with it. BUT, I do think that if animals are being slaughtered then it makes sense to use as much of them as possible... so if gelatine is basically a by-product of the meat industry then that's as it should be.
If we start creating gelatine elsewhere then a whole lot of piggy cowwy goodness is gonna just get chucked

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Sorry, but what a ridiculous headline. Just because they can produce gelatin from human DNA in a laboratory there is absolutely no grounds for saying it would be 'used in snacks'. Aside from the horrendous ethical questions, and the PR disaster that would ensue if a company was found to be using a product derived this way, gelatin is a by-product of the meat-industry ie. dirt cheap to mass-produce in vast quantities. There may be some legitimate application for a gelatin derived from human DNA.... but sticking it in wine gums, it certainly ain't.

[Solopower]

Not sure this is for real - is it a spoof?

[claig]

I doubt it is a spoof. It sounds like par for the main course. What about fish DNA in ice cream?

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-394842/Food-giant-seeks-licence-controversial-GM-ice-cream.html

Don't expect the official 'five-a-day advisors' to say anything about it. They'll just keep telling you to cut down on salt.

[jenniec79]

There's a lot of gelatine-based medical products out there - some drip fluids, absorbable sutures, foams etc. A humanDNAbased version would have a niche there.

I doubt anyone would be using it to make a trifle.

[HummusNKetchup]

Congratulations OP.

This is truly the most disgusting thing I have ever read on MN. And I have been here for 6 years. I am shaking now.

[nightcat]

That's my concern claig, it's GM food by the back door

[claig]

Yes, it'll be everywhere and our official five-a-day advisors will say nothing.
That's the power of the big business lobbies.

[CogitoErgoSometimes]

Nightcat I think you are being spectacularly gullible. The only person saying it may have a food application is the person that has developed it... and that possibility is quickly dismissed in the article, despite the headline. Claig I hope you're being sarcastic.

[PeggyGuggenheim]

Mumsnet I love you. So reassuringly rational.

[TrillianAstra]

It's not made of humans.

It's made by yeast, to a human recipe.

If you are going to make yeast grow gelatine, for use in products that humans will use, why would you not use the human recipe?

[SardineQueen]

Agree with thisisyesterday and cogito