Weekly Genetics Quiz #41: Eating DNA
One of the more popular posts at Genetics and Health is one about the pros and cons of genetically modified food. So I thought this question was relevant and amusing.
Can you eat DNA?
Answer:
An excerpt from Biotechnology Australia:
Myth: GM food means that we’d be eating genes and it’s not natural to eat another organism’s genes.
Fact:
It’s impossible to eat without eating genes.
Every organism contains genes. When we eat an apple, we eat the genes in the DNA contained within its cells. These genes in the apple are ‘foreign’ genes, but they don’t have any effect on us because they are digested. The same goes for eating meat.
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Check out what others are saying about this post...[...] First of all, Nick, I’d recommend you read Weekly Genetics Quiz #41: Eating DNA. It may not have crossed your mind before that you eat DNA every day even in “organic” fruits, vegetables, and meat. Genetically engineered DNA does not have super-powers that allows them to escape being digested by the acid in your stomach. [...]