FDA OKs genetically modified salmon for human consumption

The Food and Drug Administration cleared AquAdvantage Salmon, which has a gene adjustment that allows the fish to grow faster.

“They have met the regulatory requirements for approval, including that food from the fish is safe to eat”, said Bernadette Dunham, director of the FDA’s Centre for Veterinary Medicine.

Chief executive Ronald L. Stotish said: “AquAdvantage Salmon is a game-changer that brings healthy and nutritious food to consumers in an environmentally responsible manner without damaging the ocean and other marine habitats”. The Atlantic salmon’s DNA is genetically engineered to reach market size more quickly than non-GE farm-raised Atlantic salmon. The fish would be bred female and sterile, though a very small percentage might still be able to breed.

According to the lawsuit, “the Canadian government breached its own environmental laws by providing AquaBounty with a far wider permit than it was assessed on, potentially opening the way for other companies to produce GM fish eggs in Canada”.

A few retailers have pledged not to sell the salmon, and it’s still unclear whether the public will have an appetite for the fish if it is approved.

The final guidance recommends companies wishing to label foods that are made without genetically engineered plants use phrases like “Not bioengineered”, “Not genetically engineered” and “Not genetically modified through the use of modern biotechnology”.

However, environmentalists called the process a “huge live experiment” that could tamper with the genetic makeup of all wild Atlantic salmon by mixing GM salmon and wild fish. Others believe breeding engineered animals is an ethical issue.