Transgenic Jell-O, more human than ever!

The American Chemical Society has announced a new method of producing gelatin that sounds like good news for cannibals and the canni-curious. Researchers are able to create human-derived gelatin by inserting human genes for gelatin production into a strain of yeast.  This new method would produce hypoallergenic, standard-sized molecules, two traits especially important for medical applications. Since the traditional method of producing gelatin from animal sources can very from batch to batch, provoke immune responses, and potentially carry diseases like Mad Cow, human gelatin is a step up in quality. We'll admit that the human-yeast hybrid doesn't really fall under any definition of actual cannibalism. But with the advent of lab-grown meat, there's now less to stand in the way of adventurous eaters who want to create a real-life version of HuFu.

Via Discover Magazine.  Image via Death and Taxes.