By Chad Love

Remember the Frankensalmon? Well, we're about to find out if it's going to be offered for sale in the US...

From this Reutors story:
U.S. health officials are set to rule on whether a faster-growing, genetically engineered fish is safe to eat in a decision that could deliver the first altered animal food to consumers' dinner plates. The fish, made by Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc, is manipulated to grow twice as fast as traditional Atlantic salmon, something the company says could boost the nation's fish sector and reduce pressure on the environment. But consumer advocates and food safety experts are worried that splicing and dicing fish genes may have the opposite effect, leading to more industrial farming and potential escapes into the wild.

Side effects from eating such fish are also unknown, with little data to show it is safe, they say. "They're basically putting the fish on permanent growth hormone so it grows faster ... so they can sell bigger fish faster," said Jaydee Hanson, a policy analyst for the nonprofit Center for Food Safety. It also raises questions about the industrialization of the nation's food supply at a time when consumers -- exasperated by massive egg and other food recalls -- are growing increasingly concerned and seeking more locally produced meals.

The small Massachusetts-based biotechnology company is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval to sell its salmon, called AquAdvantage, to fish farmers nationwide. If given the green light, the salmon could be followed by the company's engineered trout and tilapia. Other scientists are also developing altered pigs and cows for food. The United States already allows genetically modified plants. On September 19, the FDA kicks off a three-day meeting to discuss whether to approve the salmon. Outside advisers will weigh available data and offer advice, although the FDA will later make the final call. "This is an Atlantic salmon in every measurable way," said Aqua Bounty Chief Executive Ronald Stotish. "When you look at the fish, it's impossible to see the difference."

Comments (4)

from jamesti wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

and the world keeps spinning out of control! we will never learn about messing with nature until it's too late! i for one will never buy anything like that and we all know these fish will escape and mix with NATURAL salmon. stop the world, i wanna get off!

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from shadbuster wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

Nothing new humans have been altering animals genes for thousands of years. Cows, sheep, goats, dogs, corn, wheat, etc.... None of them resemble their wild counterparts and that is because man changed their genes to suit our needs, the only difference now is that we can do it a lot faster in a lab rather than selectively breeding them on a farm (or they are also sometimes bred in labs) Even the trout and salmon many of us catch don't resemble their wild counterparts at all because they are altered to survive a hatchery environment, produce more eggs, grow faster, fight harder, etc...

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from Coachcl wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

This isn't a new topic. Pretty much everything we eat has been enhanced somehow. Just makes you wonder what they will try to do next.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from pike slayer wrote 1 year 22 weeks ago

And pepole think i'm wierd for not eating fish and all meat for that matter

-2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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from shadbuster wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

Nothing new humans have been altering animals genes for thousands of years. Cows, sheep, goats, dogs, corn, wheat, etc.... None of them resemble their wild counterparts and that is because man changed their genes to suit our needs, the only difference now is that we can do it a lot faster in a lab rather than selectively breeding them on a farm (or they are also sometimes bred in labs) Even the trout and salmon many of us catch don't resemble their wild counterparts at all because they are altered to survive a hatchery environment, produce more eggs, grow faster, fight harder, etc...

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from jamesti wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

and the world keeps spinning out of control! we will never learn about messing with nature until it's too late! i for one will never buy anything like that and we all know these fish will escape and mix with NATURAL salmon. stop the world, i wanna get off!

+3 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Coachcl wrote 1 year 23 weeks ago

This isn't a new topic. Pretty much everything we eat has been enhanced somehow. Just makes you wonder what they will try to do next.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from pike slayer wrote 1 year 22 weeks ago

And pepole think i'm wierd for not eating fish and all meat for that matter

-2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.