Threes, the easy way.I refer to your article "Pigging Out Healthfully: Engineered pork has more omega-3s" (SN: 4/1/06, p. 196). Changing the diet of pigs, cows, chickens, etc., to include more omega-3 fatty acids would be a healthy alternative to genetic engineering genetic engineering n. and wouldn't require government approval. In particular, the weed purslane purslane, common name for some plants of the Portulaceae, a family of herbs and a few small shrubs, chiefly of the Americas. The portulacas or purslanes (genus Portulaca) include many species indigenous to the United States. The pussley, or common purslane (P. oleracea), is a common trailing weed in America; it and the upright European variety are sometimes used as potherbs and greens. is higher in omega-3s than any other vegetable and is also edible by humans, although it is not generally available in markets. In addition to improving the quality of meat, purslane feed could produce healthier butter and eggs. And eggs, unlike fish, are plentiful, cheap, and free of pollutants. Scientific alteration of the structure of genetic material in a living organism using recombinant DNA, employed for such purposes as creating bacteria that synthesize insulin. HARRIET PEARLMAN, METUCHEN Metuchen (mətŭch`ən), borough (1990 pop. 12,804), Middlesex co., NE N.J.; settled before 1700, inc. 1900. Although chiefly residential, it manufactures metal products, packaging equipment, machinery, and electric appliances. In June, 1777, a brief but bloody skirmish occurred there between British troops under Gen., N.J. The researchers seem to be unaware that grass-finished beef has two to six times the concentration of omega-3s that grain-finished beef has. Eggs from chickens allowed to forage for part of their food average four times the omega-3s found in factory-produced eggs. There are more easily implemented methods of making animal products healthier than genetic engineering. VIRGINIA BROCK, ROCK ISLAND Rock Island, town, CanadaRock Island, town (1991 pop. 1,067), S Que., Canada, at the Vermont border. It is the seat of Stanstead College. Machine tools, dies, and textiles are made.Rock Island, city, United StatesRock Island, city (1990 pop. 40,552), seat of Rock Island co., NW Ill., on the Mississippi and Rock rivers, adjacent to Moline and opposite Davenport, Iowa; inc. 1841., ILL.These points about omega-3s in meat and eggs are valid, but changing an animal's feed, even by providing it more foraging space, significantly increases the price of meat, milk, and eggs, say the authors of this study. One of their study objectives was to avoid higher prices.--C. BROWNLEE |
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