Genetic Engineering Results In Cattle Whose Beef Is Rich In Omega-3s

A team of Chinese scientists using genetic engineering techniques has developed a variety of beef cattle whose meat is rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, normally found in oily fish. The researchers introduced a gene -- isolated from a nematode worm – that codes for enzymes involved in the conversion of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids. The experiments were not without problems, however. Eleven of 14 calves that received the gene (fat1) died before they were four months old from a common cattle infection. Further research is needed to determine the cause, and to perfect the gene transfer process.