FDA Closer to Approving Biotech Salmon

Squeaky the Squirrel

http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/13632/20121222/fda-closer-approving-biotech-salmon-critics-furious.htm

A controversial genetically engineered salmon has moved a step closer to the consumer's dining table after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Friday the fish didn't appear likely to pose a threat to the environment or to humans who eat it.

"didn't appear likely"

Eh, come again? Should the FDA be even overseeing something like this?

AquAdvantage salmon eggs would produce fish with the potential to grow to market size in half the time of conventional salmon. If it gets a final go-ahead, it would be the first food from a transgenic animal - one whose genome has been altered - to be approved by the FDA.

In a draft environmental assessment, the FDA affirmed earlier findings that the biotech salmon was not likely to be harmful. It said it would take comments from the public on its report for 60 days before making a final decision on approval.
"With respect to food safety, FDA has concluded that food from AquAdvantage salmon is as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon, and that there is a reasonable certainty of no harm from consumption," the FDA assessment states.

Critics say the new salmon is a "dangerous experiment" and have pressured the FDA to reject it. They say the FDA has relied on outdated science and substandard methods for assessing the new fish.
"We are deeply concerned that the potential of these fish to cause allergic reactions has not been adequately researched," said Michael Hansen, a scientist at the Consumers Union. "FDA has allowed this fish to move forward based on tests of allergenicity of only six engineered fish, tests that actually did show an increase in allergy-causing potential."

There were also concerns the FDA would not require the genetically modified salmon to be labeled as such, and some critics said they may file a lawsuit to prevent what they fear could be the imminent approval of the engineered fish.

Why try and hide it?

The AquAdvantage salmon would be an all-female population with eggs produced in a facility on Prince Edward Island in Canada and shipped to a "grow-out facility" in Panama, where they would be reared to market size and harvested for processing.

What happens when they escape and mix with wild Salmon?

shedweller

What happens indeed??
Why, the man made genes mix with natures finest of course!
Only the fish can resist more antibiotics etc.
Can we? Is it a good thing for us? Why the sudden lack of need to label GM? Feck sake, we are surrounded left right and centre with crap twlling us whats safe and whats not safe. And they think its ok to not label gm and not do proper tests on it.
Rats, i smell lots of the ****ers.

Squeaky the Squirrel

Salmon steak from GM fish could soon be on your plate

There are also transgenic cows with human genes that produce milk similar to human breast milk