AquaBounty Technologies made big news when they announced they were getting close to approval for their fast-growing transgenic salmon, but this isn't the only transgenic project with its eyes on our food supply. Several other projects are underway to develop transgenic animals that may eventually make their way into agriculture's mainstream and end up in your grocery aisle. And scientists aren't just interested in bigger animals -- they're also looking at making meat that's more environmentally friendly, and healthier.
A cleaner pig
The stereotype of pigs as dirty animals is being challenged by the University of Guelph's "Enviropig," which, while growing at a normal rate, produces less waste and needs less food. The pig was specifically created to solve the environmental run-off problems of pig farming. Normal pigs can't digest phytate, which makes up around 50-75 percent of phosphorus present in cereal grains, corn and soybeans -- the pig's main ...
