FDA Close to Approving Genetically Engineered Salmon?

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A Massachusetts biotechnology company said it's close to getting federal approval to bring faster-growing, genetically modified salmon to America's dinner tables, McClatchy Newspapers reported.

AquaBounty said it wants to market an "advanced hybrid" of Atlantic salmon that has been genetically altered with help from a Pacific Chinook salmon. The firm said its fish aren't bigger than normal salmon, but they grow faster.

If the Food and Drug Administration approves it, the salmon would be the first genetically engineered animal sold in U.S. stores. Transgenic crops such as corn and soybeans have been part of the American diet for a number of years.

"I would serve it to my kids," consultant Val Giddings, former geneticist at the U.S. Agriculture Department, told McClatchey.

But critics fear possible health risks from genetically modified food, and warn about a larger environmental impact. They worry genetically altered salmon could escape their aquaculture pens to compete with endangered native stocks.

A Purdue University study claims that if 60 transgenic fish bred in a population of 60,000 wild fish, the wild fish would be extinct in 40 generations.

"We've seen assurances in the past from industry and regulators that there won't be catastrophic consequences like the Gulf oil spill," said George Kimbrell, an attorney for the Center for Food Safety. "We have a cultural amnesia about these things."

Kimbrell told McClatchy if AquaBounty's salmon are approved, his group would consider a lawsuit.

The FDA doesn't comment on pending applications, though a public hearing on the AquaBounty application could come as early as this fall. If that happens, it could be a sign the FDA is close to a decision.

Filed Under: Environment, Obama Administration, Technology

Tagged: aqua bounty, center for food safety, dailyguidance, FDA, food and drug administration, genetic engineering, salmon

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dc walker

the cap is now on the well; those fish will be contaminated for decades.

July 12 2010 at 8:12 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

Henry

Not surprisingly, the environmental risks cited by the CFS lawyer are exaggerated. The GM salmon described in the article will be sterile and all female, thus making it impossible for them to reproduce amongst themselves, or with wild fish. One of the primary authors of the Purdue research later admitted that the findings of their study would not apply to reproductively incapacitated salmon. Further, the GM salmon will only be made available to inland fish farmers who practice contained biosecurity; they will not be stocked into sea cages. Mr. Kimbrell may find it ironic, but growing all female, sterile GM salmon in land based fish farms is actually more environmentally friendly and sustainable than many current methods of fish farming.

July 12 2010 at 7:04 PM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down Reply

happylinda09

OK! Enough on the genetically modified food. This is NOT God...who is the creator of everything in the universe. NO to GM Salmon!!!! (if it's not God, then it IS the devil!) YES to Mr. Kimbrell...definitely file the lawsuit against the FDA, because they are not doing what is right!!! There will be complications both in health and environmental damage down the road. Nip it in the bud!

July 12 2010 at 6:59 PM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down Reply