Sources: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment 6th September 2010
The US Food and Drug Administration has stated that a genetically modified salmon is safe for human consumption. The AquAdvantage salmon, developed by a Boston-based company called Aquabounty Technologies, is the product of a normal Atlantic Salmon injected with growth hormones from the Pacific Chinook salmon and DNA from an eel-like creature called an Ocean Pout. Dubbed the ‘Frankenfish’ by critics, the patented salmon reaches maturation in the half the amount of time than its natural relatives and requires 25% less food. The main concerns put forward by environmentalists are that the fish will escape into the wild, thereby interbreeding with local populations, or that their meat will pose a threat to human health. However, the FDA’s report on the matter looks likely to authorise the commercial production of AquAdvantage salmon. If this turns out to the case then it will be the first instance where GM foods are sold commercially for human consumption.
