"Rival Candy Projects Both Parse Cocoa’s DNA"
From: Andrew Pollack, New York Times
Published September 15, 2010
2010. Copyright New York Times
Summary
Could you imagine chocolate tasting even better than it is right now? How about if it was healthy? Scientists are very close to finishing the DNA sequence of the tree that makes the cocoa bean. Once they can finish the sequence, they can then alternate it so it can be an even better chocolate.
There are two rival companies who want to claim the credit for this almost finished discovery. The chocolate company Mars, known for Snickers, Milky Ways, and M&M's, and Pennsylvania State University.
Mars should broadcast soon that the $10 million dollars that was funded into the five year plan for sequencing the DNA has helped all the essential work to be done. The raw sequence of the genome for the cocoa tree is complete. Pennsylvania State University draws attention away by saying that they completed the sequence, but will keep it top secret until the papers examining the DNA is published in the scientific journal. Mars is planning on sharing this information freely to the public. Their goal was that everyone could have access to the data without having to be limited on what they can know. The catch is that by using the research, they cannot patent anything. Pennsylvania State University plans on make the research free soon, and will not have any catches on the data patenting.
What everyone can agree on is that the cocoa tree will be stronger than ever. The new tree has potential to be stronger than the diseases that previously wiped it out. It is also expected that there can be four times as much production. For those who grew the cocoa trees from income, this will benefit them too. Plus, some scientists are genetically trying to make a chocolate that contains more flavonoids, which could make chocolate healthier and better tasting. Whoever finds the better, stronger chocolate, the farmers, the companies, and the chocolate lovers will get a new experience with a new type of chocolate.
Opinion/Reflection
I didn't know that you could alter cocoa beans to make a different chocolate! A better tasting chocolate? Sounds great! A healthy chocolate? I can't wait! This would attract people into buying chocolate more since it is less fattening, and the demand wouldn't be bad because it is an option that they could make the cocoa bean produce up to four times what it does now. That is the profit for everyone! People get their chocolate, companies make money, and the farmers receive more income. This is a win-win-win situation. If only they could make it fast enough.
Questions
- Why would it matter who gets the credit if every has access to the information?
- What company could profit more from the discovery?
- How soon should they be making the new type of chocolate?
- How would the public react to a new type of chocolate?
- Which type of chocolate would be better? New or old?
By Katie Abraham
I think that having a altered chocolate would be great. Four times the production? Who in the right mind would hate that? Everyone loves chocolate. Many good things would come out if there were healthy chocolate which can be bought with out any guilt. It probably will cost less because of the mass production.
ReplyDeleteBut some things I am worried about are, are there any risks?
Would it be like other man made things that have side affects?
How do we know it is safe?
1) It matters who take the credit even if the whole world knows how to make it because it will be historically recorded and the people would know who first made it. Everyone loves getting credit for what they did right and so, why wouldn't they want to take this big credit? I know I would want people to acknowledge me if I did a big thing like make a healthy altered chocolate.
Now every time I eat chocolate, I'm always going to think that there is a chocolate better than this and it is healthy. I would think about the company who made it first.
An abundance of healthy chocolate? Where do I sign up? And due to more avaliability, smaller cost means more chocolate for me. This sounds great!
ReplyDeleteBut is it? Scientifically engineered chocolate doesn't sound too appealing if you ask me. I have a feeling it may not necessarily taste as good the current, more familiar chocolate.
4) I think the public will react to the new chocolate the same way they react to all sorts of other changes. With hesitation. Its human nature to be cautious about something we aren't familiar with. Honestly, who knows how people will react? I sure don't and I doubt it will change just for something like chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate, but I'm not sure chocolate has the power to change human nature.
I think it would be great to have healthier chocolate. Four times the production of chocolate is also great for the company. Also for the many people that LOVE chocolate they don't have to be that worried about eating it because it is healthier than the old chocolate. One thing though, would not be so positive. The new chocolate may not taste as good as the old chocolate. That is one disadvantage to this new chocolate.
ReplyDelete5. I think the new chocolate will be better. The new chocolatte will be healthier than the old chocolate. Even though we don't know how good the new chocolate will be, we should still try it.How bad could it be, it's coming from a cocoa bean? This is why I think the new chocolate will be better than the old chocolate.
I'm blown away by this amazing discovery! It's really interesting to know that the chocolate company are willing to continue on their business even though chocolate has been around for a long time. This is such a good idea for everyone! The company would make more profits and receive media attention of their scientific discovery. The knowledge of being able to sequence the DNA map of cocoa beans can lead to research of other food items and organisms. People would be interested in trying out this new chocolate. Also it's healthier and can produce more chocolate so it won't run out if people want a lot of it. Making such a big discovery can grow tension between rivals, I am not sure who was the first to discover it. However if there was a discovery, it will be used for everybody. Sure it's good to have a patent for a discovery and become famous and well-known for making the "new, improved" chocolate. But in this world, it's better to work together and make many more discoveries without competing.
ReplyDelete4) Some people might be against in trying out this new chocolate because they might think it's the same as cloning. And they might not think it's ethical and natural to know the whole DNA map of a certain food. Because other scientists can start searching for the DNA sequence of other organisms for good or for bad use, we'd never know. However on the other hand, people like me would be willing to try out this long time studied chocolate and be able to tell my opinion of it. This will mark as a new scientific discovery and everybody will love it because it's a new chocolate that's improved and a better taste since it's healthier and there's one for everybody.