I’m obliged to report that a company called AquAdvantage is ready to supply us with the first genetically-engineered animal expressly constructed for human consumption in the guise of my beloved salmon — if the FDA doesn’t act appropriately and classify the unnatural creature as unsafe to consume and enter the human food supply chain.
I ran across this joint petition submitted this week by, among others, Food & Water Watch, a national non-profit consumer organization that advocates to ensure that food, water and fish is safe, accessible and sustainably produced.
Source: http://www.gulfofmaine.org
From the petition: “The AquAdvantage salmon that is the subject of this petition would be the first GE animal meant for human consumption. The company ABT genetically engineers the salmon by inserting an rDNA construct into diploid Atlantic salmon. Additional steps in the process result in triploid salmon that are all females and that contain three sets of chromosomes [rearranged to ensure that the female salmon are infertile]. The rDNA construct inserted into the salmon is made up of two components: a Chinook salmon growth-hormone gene and a gene sequence from an ocean pout * intended to promote the regulation of the growth hormone. Synthetic linkers are also added to help assemble the two inserts. … [with a result that allows] AquAdvantage salmon to undergo an increase in growth rate that causes it to reach market size in half the time.”
* The ocean pout is eel-like and also known as muttonfish. It is possibly one of the ugliest fish out there. Would you be okay with eating a “salmon” made from the genes of this creature? No? Then take action now.
Source: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org
AquaBounty’s Mission
“To play a significant part in “The Blue Revolution” – bringing together biological sciences and molecular technology to enable an aquaculture industry capable of large-scale, efficient, and environmentally sustainable production of high quality seafood. Increased growth rates, enhanced resistance to disease, better food-conversion rates, manageable breeding cycles, and more efficient use of aquatic production systems are all important components of a sustainable aquaculture industry of the future.”
By the way, this isn’t “down the road.” From AquaBounty’s most recent operational update a few weeks ago:
Regulatory Update
As previously reported, AquaBounty completed all submissions for its New Animal Drug Application (“NADA”) for AquAdvantage Salmon (“AAS”) with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) in 2010. After public meetings on the results of their review, the FDA released documents stating that the product was safe as food, safe to the fish and safe for the environment. Since that time, the FDA has been working to complete its Environmental Assessment (“EA”) for AAS to ensure that an approval of the pending NADA would have no adverse effect on the environment. The Company will update the market when the FDA completes this review and publishes the EA.
Tags: AquaBounty, eels, food safety, genetic engineering, nightmares, ocean pout, salmon
