Are Genetically Engineered Salmon Safe to Eat?
Probably. An FDA analysis concludes that genetically engineered salmon is just as safe as normal farmed salmon. But nagging questions remain. An analysis by a Consumer Union scientist, for example, concludes that far more information is needed. There are two basic differences between normal farmed salmon and genetically engineered salmon: The altered salmon grow much faster, and they make more growth hormone. As long as the genetically engineered fish are raised in a healthy manner, their speed of growth does not appear to be a problem in and of itself. But safety data analyzed by the FDA looked only at AquAdvantage salmon grown at a Canada facility. Critics say there is no data from the Panama facility at which the firm intends to produce most of its fish. Different questions are whether the insertion of the DNA switch causes a safety problem — and whether the extra growth hormone in the genetically engineered fish will cause problems. The FDA analysis suggests that the DNA switch it
