British researchers have genetically engineered a chicken that is less susceptible to bird flu than other chickens and that does not infect its flockmates. “But these promising chickens … won’t likely gate-crash their way into poultry production any time soon,” says Reuters. “Health regulators around the world have yet to approve any animals bred as genetically modified organisms (GMOs) for use in food because of long-standing safety and environmental concerns.” Nor are the researchers asking to commercialize the GMO chicken. One of them, Helen Sang, says, “We’ve got enough positive results to make us think it’s worth taking it further.”
The FDA has been studying a genetically engineered salmon for 20 years, but has yet to approve it for consumption even though it has decided it is safe for humans. A U.S. chicken-breeding company that helped fund the British research has stopped its support for research into GMO chickens because there is no approved commercial use for the birds, an official told Reuters.
The bird-flu epidemic that claimed more than 48 million U.S. chickens and turkeys has focused interest on ways to avoid another catastrophic outbreak. A GMO chicken is not a speedy answer, assuming that it was approved, according to National Geographic. Researchers say it could take up to five years to generate a large number of the GMO chickens. Laurence Tiley of the University of Cambridge said given U.S. and British skepticism about GMO livestock, it’s more likely that poultry or pigs genetically engineered to resist the flu would appear first “in countries that have more pragmatic views of GM … China, for example.”