A team of allergists, molecular biologists and plant physiologists in Italy are collaborating to develop a hypo-allergenic apple that could provide relief to those who suffer from food allergies. Apples aren’t typically known as a potent allergen — at worst, they may cause your tongue and lips to become itchy and blister. But the team of scientists is using the apple as a test case, and they’re trying to decode the genetic markers that cause some people to experience an allergic reaction.

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Post tags: apple allergy, food allergies, genetic modification, genetically modified foods, gmo apples, GMO foods, hypo-allergenic apple, hypo-allergenic foods, hypoallergenic apple, hypoallergenic foods, non gmo

The recent scandal over horse meat found in “beef” products in the UK has sent a wave of disgust and panic through the country and beyond — while last year’s uncovering of the true ingredients in pink slime caused some in the US to reconsider their meat-eating habits. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to gross ingredients in our everyday foods. From crushed insects, to shellac and a substance derived from an unsettling part of beaver anatomy, there are many disgusting—and commonly used—food additives out there. Read on to learn more about six of the most surprising and gross ingredients in your food.

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Post tags: animal products, cochineal, disgusting additives, disgusting ingredients, food additives, food ingredients, genetic modification, GMOs, gross additives, gross ingredients, horse meat, pink slime, unlabeled food ingredients

Genetic engineering is a sensitive and controversial topic, and nowhere more so than in the case of “designer babies.” Last week Intelligence Squared hosted an Oxford-style debate with some of the world’s leading academics and scientists arguing the topic of “Prohibit[ing] Genetically Engineered Babies,” with proponents arguing that the techniques could ensure healthier children, while those on the panel opposed to genetic engineering of infants cited the myriad of uncertainties that underpin our genetic makeup and the failures in genetic modification of crops and animals. A poll that followed the debate found a split audience. While the majority—49%—were opposed to genetic engineering of babies, 41% remained in favor, with 10% undecided.

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Post tags: baby genetics, designer babies, genetic alteration, genetic modification, genetic testing, infant health, intelligence squared, pregnancy, public opinion genetic

Cotton is at the heart of clothing manufacturing, but as most only see the material in its final, hanger-hugging form, few are aware of the incredible human and environmental costs associated with its production. Leah Borromeo, a journalist and filmmaker based in London, has set out to illuminate the “debts, pesticides, and suicides” that surrounds the fibers of our clothing. Nearly 300,000 Indian cotton farmers have killed themselves over the years to escape the poverty trap of industrialized agriculture, yet their plight continues to go unrecognized. We recently spoke to the documentarian about her latest film, The Cotton Film: Dirty White Gold, the human cost of cheap fashion, and why the fashion industry needs to shape up.

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Post tags: conventional cotton, Dirty White Gold, eco-fashion, Ethical Fashion, farmer suicides, forced labor, genetic engineering, genetic modification, green fashion, human rights, India, Leah Borromeo, organic cotton, pesticides, Sustainable Fashion, sustainable style, sweatshop labor, sweatshop workers, sweatshops, toxic chemicals, workers rights