Genetically Engineered Salmon Update
Genetically engineered (GE) salmon may soon be heading to market, pending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. AquaBounty Technologies Inc. has genetically engineered Atlantic salmon (known as AquAdvantage® salmon) to overexpress a growth-hormone gene, resulting in a fish that grows to full size in about 18 months rather than 3 years. The company applied for FDA approval for the GE salmon in 1995 and has been in regulatory limbo ever since. In March 2014, the FDA reported they are still deciding whether or not to approve the GE fish. The GE salmon, if approved, would be the first GE animal product to reach the plates of consumers in the U.S.
GE salmon concerns. AquaBounty Technologies Inc. says the GE salmon is safe to eat and it could help address numerous food supply issues, such as demand for healthier foods and depleted fish stocks, because it grows more quickly. However, environmental, health, and consumer advocates have raised numerous concerns citing unknown long-term effects on people and the planet. One major concern is the potential effects of GE salmon escaping into the wild. A study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B in 2013, found that GE Atlantic salmon successfully cross-breed with brown trout, a closely related species. The re-searchers found that these cross-bred fish were even better than their parents—GE salmon and brown trout—at competing for food in a semi-natural environment. This means that escaped GE fish could reduce wild salmon populations. In response to the study, AquaBounty reports that the company will market only sterile, all female AquAdvantage® salmon.
GE salmon lacks acceptance. Three-quarters of Americans say they would not eat GE fish, according to a 2013 New York Times poll. In 2010, a national survey conducted by Lake Research found that 78 percent of adults believe the FDA should not approve a GE salmon for human consumption.
Marine Harvest, the world’s largest farmed salmon producer, does not support the introduction of GE salmon and is calling for it to be labeled, if approved for the American market. Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), a certification program for responsible aquaculture, has said that the GE salmon cannot be ASC-certified, as GE fish are not permitted because of concerns about their unknown impact on the wild. Regardless of the pending FDA decision, more than 60 major retailers have announced they have no plans to sell the GE salmon, including Aldi, Giant Eagle, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Target, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods. To see where your supermarket stands on this issue, visit: http://bit.ly/1hMcipy.
—Christine McCullum-Gomez, PhD, RD
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