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March 6, 2012 at 1:39 pm (This post was last modified: March 6, 2012 at 1:42 pm by Doubting Thomas.)
Quote:
There is a new bill being introduced by Oklahoma Republican State Sen. Ralph Shortey with the explicit purpose of outlawing the use of fetuses in the production or supplementation of food products. This may sound like a demented joke or a satirical story, but it is actually true for the state of Oklahoma.
This began in 2010 when a pro-life group called "Children of God for Life" accused Senomyx of using aborted fetal cells in its products and testing. Companies like PepsiCo, Kraft Foods, and Nestle as well as Campbell Soup have been partnered with Senomyx for the purpose of enhancing the flavor of their product. It is the claim of "Children of God" that Senomyx has been using a 37-year-old cell culture called HEK-293 (healthy embryo kidney #293) for flavor testing and possibly to supplement the product directly.
These accusation never found their way to court for lack of proof, but this did not stop the active wish of "Children of God" to boycott stem cell research based on these claims. Appealing to the Christian Right anti-abortion group and supporters, this new bill appears to be tailored around this accusation by Shortly. Additionally, further addendum has been made to prevent further research regarding stem cells.
Senomyx in collaboration with drug researchers Aurora Biosciences (non-pdf version of link) did a series of neurobiological tests with human, rats, and even specifically HEK-293 regarding "human receptors for sweet and umami taste". This was a study sent in to the National Academy of Sciences in December of 2001 and approved February of 2002.
The experiment itself revolved around the recognition of a wide range of natural and artificial sweeteners, which explains the presence of a pharmaceutical research facility. The use of HEK-293 is in part related to the taste receptors ability to detect bitter, associated with poisons and toxins.
The conditions of these tests have not actually violated embryonic and stem cell protocols set by the law, nor has Senomyx personally used these methods for taste testing foods or products of their subsidiaries such as PepsiCo, Kraft, and others; nor have they introduced embryonic material to the foods for flavor. The only case that they had any relation to HEK-293 was in presenting artificial sweeteners to the drug researchers, Aurora Bioscience.
It's amazing how people can read this and then turn around and claim that Pepsi is using aborted fetuses to flavor its soft drinks. Well, considering how stupid most of the general public is, and taking into account the willful ignorance and outright lies of the religious right, perhaps amazing isn't the right word. I just wish that people would look this stuff up on their own instead of believing everything the pro-life crowd says.
Christian apologetics is the art of rolling a dog turd in sugar and selling it as a donut.
