GM oranges containing pig genes in the works

Tuesday, November 05, 2013 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) Increasingly stricken by a disease that leaves them shriveled, discolored and sour, Florida oranges are the latest target for genetic manipulators who are right now working on a new variety of genetically modified (GM) orange that could end up containing pig genes. According to The New York Times (NYT), the disease, known as citrus greening, threatens the entire domestic orange industry, which is why some of Florida's largest citrus producers see no other option but to fund the development of GM oranges.

Southern Gardens Citrus (SGC), one of Florida's largest citrus growers and manager of some two-and-a-half million orange trees in south-central Florida, is at the forefront of the push for GM oranges. According to reports, the company recently tried to battle citrus greening in its own groves, chopping down and burning hundreds of thousands of infected trees and bolstering its arsenal of pesticides. But these efforts ultimately failed, prompting company officials to seek various alternative approaches.

When scouring the world for an orange variety immune to the disease proved fruitless, Ricke Kress, SGC's president, decided it might be time to take a more drastic approach. According to the NYT, Kress and his boss had previously mulled the idea of developing GMO oranges when citrus greening first showed up in the state but were reluctant to actually go through with it due to the long-term damage it might cause to the citrus industry. Now, however, Kress believes that the situation is far more serious.

Though he admits that Florida oranges could naturally develop their own resistance to the C. Liberibacter asiaticus bacterium, which is believed to be the cause of citrus greening, Kress is not necessarily keen on taking this risk. Natural resistance could take just a few months to develop, he says, or it could take years or even decades. In the meantime, Florida oranges could end up going extinct, leading to the loss of some 76,000 jobs in Florida and the end of bountiful orange juice cartons on grocery store shelves.

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In a forthcoming review article from Nutrition and Cancer: An International Journal, researchers review available evidence that links orange juice with cancer chemoprevention.

Image Source  :  Wikimedia . Org

Source	http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/graphics/photos/k7237-8.htm
Author	USDA photo by Scott Bauer. Image Number K7237-8.

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Can Drinking Orange Juice Aid in Cancer Prevention?

Sep. 13, 2013 — In a forthcoming review article from Nutrition and Cancer: An International Journal, a publication of Routledge, researchers review available evidence that links orange juice with cancer chemoprevention. The review article, "Orange Juice and Cancer Chemoprevention" discusses the putative mechanisms involved in the process, the potential toxicity of orange juice, and the available data in terms of evidence-based medicine.

Orange juice has many potential positive effects when it comes to cancer, particularly because it is high in antioxidants from flavonoids such as hesperitin and naringinin. Evidence from previous in vitro studies has indicated that orange juice can reduce the risk of leukemia in children, as well as aid in chemoprevention against mammary, hepatic, and colon cancers. Biological effects of orange juice in vitro are largely influenced by the juice's composition, which is dependent on physiological conditions of the oranges such as climate, soil, fruit maturation, and storage methods post-harvest.
The researchers acknowledge potential toxicity from orange juice if consumed in excess amounts -- especially for children, hypertensive, kidney-compromised, and diabetics. Excessive drinking of orange juice for individuals from these groups has the potential to create noxious effects, hyperkalemia, and has been associated with both food allergies and bacterial outbreaks in cases where the juice was unpasteurized. "Excessive intake of any food, even for the healthiest, can lead to oxidative status imbalance," wrote the researchers.
Further research is highly recommended to determine the biological connection between orange juice and cancer chemoprevention. Issues such as the type of cultivar and the amount consumed will also need clarification.
Overall, the review article summarizes several biological effects of orange juice that can contribute to chemoprevention, including antioxidant, antimutagenic and antigenotoxic, cytoprotective, hormonal, and cell signaling modulating effects. Orange juice has antimicrobial and antiviral action and modulates the absorption of xenobiotics. "OJ could contribute to chemoprevention at every stage of cancer initiation and progression," the researchers explained. "Among the most relevant biological effects of OJ is the juice's antigenotoxic and antimutagenic potential, which was shown in cells in culture and in rodents and humans."

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The above story is based on materials provided by Taylor & Francis, via AlphaGalileo.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. Silvia Isabel Rech Franke, Temenouga Nikolova Guecheva, João Antonio Pêgas Henriques, Daniel Prá. Orange Juice and Cancer Chemoprevention. Nutrition and Cancer, 2013; : 130806112113004 DOI: 10.1080/01635581.2013.817594

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