GE animals can be divided into several classes, based on their intended use. They include animals that produce human or animal pharmaceuticals (biopharm animals); animals that serve as models for human diseases; animals that produce high-value industrial or consumer products, such as fibers; and food-use animals with new traits such as improved nutrition, faster growth or lower emission levels of environmentally harmful substances (such as phosphate in their manure).

Genetic engineering already is widely used in agriculture to make crops resistant to pests or herbicides. In medicine, genetic engineering is used to develop microbes that produce drugs and other therapeutic products for use in humans. In food, genetic engineering is used to produce microorganisms that aid in baking, brewing, and cheese-making.

Under the draft guidance, producers will have to demonstrate that food from the GE animal is safe to eat in cases in which the GE animal is intended for food use.

First of all, I wonder what the standards are for proving that GE animals used for food is safe? I know that the science is used to protect crops from disease and to make some animals grow faster, but I do worry about what that means for our bodies, health-wise? I'm also wondering why the FDA isn't requiring GE or GM foods to be labeled so?

Michael Hansen, PhD, senior scientist at Consumers Union, was wondering that, too, according to that medguru story:

“It’s outrageous that they would not require these things to be labeled. Come on, they require orange juice to be labeled if it’s from a concentrate vs. fresh-squeezed. Milk is labeled homogenized vs. not. That’s enough to label, but an engineered animal isn’t?”

Paul Wallis, in an opinion piece for the digitaljournal.com, says that intensive study of GM and GE foods needs to be done and more time needs to be devoted to finding a useful way for labeling such products. Consumers will want to know.

What say you? Do you care if your food was genetically altered? Would you want to see that on a label? Do you want to give the FDA your two cents? You have until Nov. 18 to comment on the draft guidelines. For more information, go to the FDA's site to read up on GE food.

And just in case you're wondering, that photo shows the Carneros wine growing region near Napa, Calif. Advancements have been made in the fight against the vine-killing disease threatening California's wine industry, including the development of grapevines genetically engineered to be resistant to it. (AP Photo)