Approval of the First Genetically Engineered Animal for Human Consumption?
20th September, 2010 - Posted by katherine - 2 Comments
There’s not a lot of local environmental news that I’ve been able to find today, but I did hear this interesting story on NPR this morning: “Biotech Battle: Are Genetically Engineered Fish Safe?” The article notes that today the FDA is having a meeting in Washington about whether to approve the ”first genetically engineered animal for human consumption — a fast-growing Atlantic salmon.” The article explains that one environmental issue raised is:
[W]hat will happen if these salmon escape from fish farms into the wild. People are concerned about whether they would mate with wild fish, out-compete them for food or irreversibly change their habitats.
There’s also a debate on what labeling would be required:
[Jeff Black, the chef and owner of BlackSalt seafood market and restaurant in Washington, D.C.] prides himself on knowing his fish purveyors well, and where their products come from and how they’re raised. He sells both farmed and wild fish, but he’s not a big fan of farmed fish. He says many fish farms dump their waste into the ocean.
“I would love it if we didn’t sell any [farmed salmon] but the reality is that salmon is the No. 1 selling fish,” he says. He couldn’t keep up with demand otherwise, he says.
Black is concerned that he doesn’t have enough information about genetically engineered salmon and that the FDA seems to be rushing forward.
He’s also worried that consumers won’t have a choice.
“It should absolutely be labeled, and the public should be allowed to make their own decision. In the restaurant industry, we have what’s called truth in menu. And truth in menu requires me to tell the truth about the things I’m serving,” he says. AquaBounty should be held to the same standard, he says.
In the documents it released before the meetings, the FDA says because the flesh of the genetically engineered salmon is essentially the same as traditionally raised salmon, a new label is not required. However, the agency is planning a hearing Tuesday to hear from the public regarding the labeling.
Check out the story to see a crazy picture of how much bigger the genetically engineered salmon is compared to the wild salmon.
2 Comments
Tom Linsky
September 21st, 2010 at 11:30 am
That picture is a little freaky… I’m pretty curious how they did it. According to the company’s Web site, growth hormone levels are the same as in regular salmon.
katherine
September 22nd, 2010 at 8:28 am
I agree – the picture is freaky
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