Viruses the New Condiment

Lip writes to tell us that a new bacteria killing virus has been deemed safe by the FDA as a food additive for ready-to-eat meats. These bacteriophages are designed to kill a common microbe (Listeria monocytogenes bacteria) to which hundreds of deaths every year have been attributed. From the article: "The viruses are grown in a preparation of the very bacteria they kill, and then purified. The FDA had concerns that the virus preparation potentially could contain toxic residues associated with the bacteria. However, testing did not reveal the presence of such residues, which in small quantities likely wouldn't cause health problems anyway, the FDA said."

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Re:Cue Bill Z. Businessman

[radtea]

Except no one has provided any evidence whatsoever that genetically modified foods are less healthy

This is not the issue.

The issue is: KNOWING WHAT WE ARE BUYING SO WE CAN MAKE INFORMED CHOICES.

That is all. That is the only issue. It is an issue of the freedom to choose, and the knowledge required to make that choice.

I want to know what agricultural practices I am supporting when I buy food. I have my reasons, and in a free country I should be allowed to act on those reasons. I neither know nor care what you, the FDA or Monsanto think of the issue.

Freedom means the freedom to do things that other people think are irrational and ill-advised, so long as doing so does not take away other's freedom.

If you can come up with a single argument as to why I should not be free to know what I am eating I'd like to see it.