Genetically Engineered Frankenfish May Be Coming to Your Dinner Table Soon
With No Labels to Let You Know the Fish Has Been Genetically Engineered
The "Frankenfish" was created by the company AquaBounty Technologies, Inc. and refers to the genetically altered Salmon as AquAdvantage Salmon. Several non-profit organizations, Food & Water Watch and Consumer's Union, are against the bio-engineered fish hitting the market saying more testing and studies are needed to demonstrate the safety of the fish. AquaBounty claims that the genetically modified fish is just as safe as non-modified salmon. Consumer's Union has also argued that if the salmon goes to market that is must be labeled as genetically engineered for consumer safety reasons.
Concerns of Non-Labeling
One of the biggest concerns of the non-profit groups is that if the new bio-engineered salmon hits store shelves without a label is the health risks involved. Consumers who buy the fish unknowing that the fish is genetically modified may experience unexpected health effects such as allergies to the fish. Consumers will be unable to say that the fish that caused the allergy/illness was genetically modified. Another concern, is that without labeling consumers lose the right to know what they are putting in their bodies by eating the fish.
Why the FDA Doesn't Need a Label
According to the FDA's overview on food labeling, "Nutrition labeling for raw produce (fruits and vegetables) and fish is voluntary." Also, the FDA does not require altered foods to be labeled if they show no material difference in the final product. This leaves AquaBounty open to deciding whether or not to label the "Frankenfish".
What You Might Not Know
The FDA does not do independent testing of genetically engineered animals. The company seeking approval from the FDA to place a food product on the market hands its own information over to the FDA.
On Monday September 20, 2010 the FDA advisory panel and the Veterinary Medicine Advisory Committee met to debate and discuss whether to endorse the safety of AquAdvantage Salmon. However, the panel called for more studies on the safety of the "Frankenfish". Testimony on the labeling of the fish, if any labels will be required upon approval of the "Frankenfish", was heard on September 21, 2010 by the advisory panel.
Question to Readers:
Do you think that AquaBounty has the responsibility to label the bio-engineered and genetically modified fish if approved for human consumption?
Answer in the comments section below.
Sources:
FDA on AquaBounty Salmon
Published by Linda StCyr
Linda St.Cyr has been a featured contributor for Associated Content from Yahoo!, she is the author of several short stories including the story "Leaving" published in the anthology collection, Elements of Ti... View profile
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6 Comments
Post a CommentIt has a moral though not legal responsibility and Congress needs to wake up on this one and require FDA regs advising consumers of genetically modified foods so that consumers can choose to eat them or not.
Where are all the labels these days? Thanks to the Supreme Court ruling, we don't know where a lot of political ads (franken-ads, to adapt your usage) are coming from either.
Haven't they been doing this with chickens for years? My mom would only buy amish chicken with the hopes that they weren't altered.
No way I'll be eating that.
This is horrible. I am absolutely opposed to any kind of genetically engineered food, and I won't buy any salmon at all if this is approved, because I won't have any idea whether or not it is GMO. If they are going to produce this stuff, they at least should be required to label it so consumers have a chance to decide whether or not they want to eat it.
I saw a piece on it last night on ABC News. The frankensalmon has the genes of an "eel-like fish", according to ABC. (Of course, an eel IS a fish, but showing the nasty looking critter makes for a more dramatic piece.) Since the genetic code isn't entirely salmon, how can it be sold as such? You can't sell a purebred poodle as purebred if one of its kin is a schnauzer.