FDA Approves Genetically-Modified Salmon

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it has approved the first genetically engineered animal intended for food: AquAdvantage salmon.

The AquAdvantage salmon is an Atlantic salmon that contains artificially-inserted growth hormone genes from Chinook salmon and a genetic promoter from ocean pout (an eel-like fish) that make the salmon grow to market size faster, the FDA said in a statement.

 The agency added that after "exhaustive and rigorous scientific review," it has deemed that AquAdvantage salmon are "safe to eat by humans and animals" and that "genetic engineering is safe for the fish."

The GMO salmon will not be required to be labeled as genetically engineered, according to the FDA, which has the same policy for all genetically-engineered crops.

The "FDA can only require additional labeling of foods derived from GE sources if there is a material difference –- such as a different nutritional profile –- between the GE product and its non-GE counterpart," the agency said. "In the case of the AquAdvantage Salmon, the FDA did not find any such differences."

The FDA did not mention in its statement when the GE-salmon would be sold to U.S. consumers. 

The federal approval of the GMO salmon and the lack of labeling requirements have sparked outrage and opposition by a number of food, health and environmental advocates.

Just hours after the FDA's announcement, The Center for Food Safety said it plans to sue the FDA, according to a news release. The lawsuit "will be filed in coordination with other colleague plaintiffs," according to the release.

The Center expressed concerns about possible unknown health risks to humans and added that if the GMO salmon escaped from pens, they could pose "serious risks" to "wild salmon populations that are already under duress."