On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved genetically engineered (GE) salmon for consumption as food.
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AquaBounty Technologies had its application for AquAdvantae Salmon approved by the FDA.
“The data demonstrated that the inserted genes remained stable over several generations of fish, that food from the GE salmon is safe to eat by humans and animals, that the genetic engineering is safe for the fish, and the salmon meets the sponsor’s claim about faster growth”, explained the FDA in a statement. Although the FDA has said that AquAdvantage is just as safe and nutritious as other salmon, some worry that scientists can’t completely understand the potential health risks of GMOs, simply because they’re so new. For years, the advocacy group has sought labeling requirements for all GE foods and was one of the backers of the Vermont law mandating labels for genetically modified or engineered foods.
Labeling Food Containing Ingredients Derived from Genetically Engineered SourcesAt the same time, many consumers also want to know whether their food or any ingredients in their food is derived from genetically engineered sources.
“Salmon is excessively critical for our eating methodologies, economy and social legacy to acknowledge anything made in a lab-we need the genuine food and hail Costco for guaranteeing its clients that is the thing that they’ll get when they shop there”, Heather Day, Executive director of Seattle-based Community Alliance for Global Justice, a grassroots gathering concentrated on social equity and manageability, said in an announcement.
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In order to accommodate the needs of people who, for a multitude of reasons, are against genetically modified food, the FDA recommended that these GM fish should be clearly labeled as such. In fact, the FDA cited an example where the agency required additional labeling of food derived from a GE source where it found that there were “material” differences in the two versions of the food. The FDA has repeatedly declined to define the term “natural”.
