A CRISPR Bite: How gene-editing technology is changing our food

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Latest Episodes:

Gravy: The Kitchen Electric Nov 29, 2023

When we think of the industrialization of America and the rise of electricity, we’re printed to think about people in cities and factories, where machines and assembly lines abound. But electricity transformed another area almost as much as it transformed the city or the factory… and that area is the house. And because of that there’s one really key demographic that’s impacted by electricity perhaps more than any other: women.

Today, we’re sharing a special episode from Gravy, produced by our friends over at Southern Foodways Alliance and distributed by APT Podcast Studios. Gravy showcases a South that is constantly evolving, using food as a means to dig into lesser-known corners of the region, to complicate stereotypes, to document new dynamics, and to give voice to the unsung folk who grow, cook, and serve our daily meals.

Listen to more episodes of Gravy and follow the podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

DNA Today: Sam Sternberg Nov 22, 2023

What are the key safety, ethical and regulatory considerations for using CRISPR technology? DNA Today digs into all of that and more with biochemist and CRISPR expert Sam Sternberg.
Enjoy this bonus episode from our friends at the DNA Today podcast. And be sure to follow their show for more great episodes.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Outside/In: Dinner reservations Nov 15, 2023

Some folks promote local food. Others swear by veganism. But what is the most environmentally-friendly diet? And does it really matter what we eat? Or are there bigger fish to fry when it comes to climate activism?
Enjoy this bonus episode from our friends at the Outside/In podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio. And be sure to follow their show for more great episodes.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Cattle Oct 25, 2023

Hornless cattle were once the poster animals for a gene-editing revolution, until the FDA found a pesky mistake in their DNA. In this episode, we go to a California research farm to explore unintended consequences.
Clarification: The FDA has an established process for researchers to request authorization to put animals with investigational genomic alterations, including those made with CRISPR, into the food supply. But the FDA does not issue orders to incinerate those animals. The cattle at the heart of this story were ultimately incinerated.

Interviews:

Dr. Alison Van Eenennaam, Extension Specialist: Animal Biotechnology and Genomics, Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis
- Her 2022 study "Animal Health and Food Safety Analyses of Six Offspring of a Genome-Edited Hornless Bull."
Dr. Alexis L. Norris, Division of Animal Bioengineering and Cellular Therapies Center for Veterinary Medicine, The Food and Drug Administration

Credits

A CRISPR Bite is supported by the Jean Monnet Network, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union through the GEAP-3 Network of scientists. More about our project here. This podcast does not reflect the views of our funders.

This podcast was co-written and hosted by Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr. Our executive producer is Corinne Ruff. She co-wrote, edited and produced the show. Jake Harper edited this episode. The show was sound designed and engineered by Adriene Lilly. Aaron Crossland made our theme music. Rachael Marr designed our logo. Legal support from New Media Rights and marketing help from Tink Media. Maya Tsingos fact checked this episode.

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Wine Oct 18, 2023

Is CRISPR the solution to controlling the pest plaguing California’s wine industry? In this episode, we take you to a lab where researchers are using CRISPR to genetically modify a frightening insect responsible for spreading a bacteria and killing vines.
Clarification: While Dr. Tim Martinson holds healthy skepticism about the hype around CRISPR technology now, he acknowledges that it's just starting to be used and he believes it will become a valuable tool – one of many in a grape breeder’s toolbox.
Resources

To learn more about wine grape breeding techniques, we highly recommend reading up on Dr. Tim Martinson's research on the subject here and here.

Interviews

Dr. Tim Martinson, Senior Extension Associate (retired), School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section, Cornell AgriTech
Dr. Peter Atkinson, Professor of Entomology, University of California, Riverside
Dr. Linda Walling, Professor and Geneticist, Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside

Credits

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Soy Oct 11, 2023

In Missouri, scientists are using CRISPR technology to pack plants with extra protein, in hopes of cutting down on the need for farm raised meat – a major contributor to greenhouse gasses.
Interviews

Dr. Jason Bull, Chief Technology Officer, Benson Hill
Dr. Matthew Begemann, Senior Director, Gene Editing & Trait Discovery, Benson Hill

Credits

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Tomatoes Oct 04, 2023

Can tomatoes made using CRISPR help relieve stress? In this episode, we take you to Japan to learn more about the first CRISPR food available on the market.
Resources

For a firsthand look at the invention of the first GMO whole food, our team highly recommends Dr. Belinda Martineau’s book,
First Fruit: The Creation of the Flavr Savr Tomato and the Birth of Biotech Foods (2001).

Interviews

Dr. Belinda Martineau, UC Davis Center for Healthcare Policy & Research
Haruka Nakata

Credits

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast. Special thanks to Fumino Tamaki for her help with organizing the Japanese interview.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

The First Bite Sep 27, 2023

CRISPR gene-editing technology is making many advances in the medical world, but you’re more likely to first encounter CRISPR on your plate. In this episode, we walk you through how CRISPR works, its opportunities and why some people worry that the risks may outweigh the potential benefits.

Resources

Jennifer Doudna’s TedTalk

Interviews

Sonja Lindberg, PhD Candidate, Department of Sociology, Iowa State University
- Link to her co-authored article published in February 2023: “Gene-Edited Food Adoption Intentions and Institutional Trust in the United States: Benefits, Acceptance, and Labeling” in
  Rural Sociology
Dr. Michael Antoniou, Reader in Molecular Genetics, King’s College, London
Claire Robinson, Editor, GM Watch

Credits

A CRISPR Bite is supported by the Jean Monnet Network, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union through the GEAP-3 Network of scientists. More on our project here. This podcast does not reflect the views of our funders.

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Welcome to A CRISPR Bite Sep 20, 2023

CRISPR gene-editing technology came out as a massive biotech breakthrough in the last decade, but most people have still never heard of it. In a new five-part series, food anthropologist Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr takes listeners into the labs where researchers are tinkering with food genes, to help break down the problems they’re hoping to solve – and what’s at stake.

Credits

A CRISPR Bite is supported by the Jean Monnet Network, which is funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union through the GEAP-3 Network of scientists. This podcast does not reflect the views of our funders.

This podcast was co-written and hosted by Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr. Our executive producer is Corinne Ruff. She co-wrote, edited and produced the show. The show was sound designed and engineered by Adriene Lilly. Aaron Crossland made our theme music. Rachael Marr designed our logo. Legal support from New Media Rights.

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite

Introducing A CRISPR Bite Sep 07, 2023

CRISPR gene-editing technology came out as a massive biotech breakthrough in the last decade, but most people have still never heard of it. In this new five-part series, food anthropologist Dr. Lauren Crossland-Marr takes listeners into the labs where researchers are tinkering with food genes, to help break down the problems they’re hoping to solve – and what’s at stake.

Credits

Thank you to the GEAP-3 team! Special thanks to Matthew Schnurr, Klara Fischer, and Glenn Stone for their support and advice on this podcast.

Leave a 5-star rating and review of this episode on Apple podcasts to help us spread the word. Have more to say? Email us at acrisprbitepodcast@gmail.com. Follow for updates on Instagram @acrisprbite