Thaindian News

Sep 20 (THAINDIAN NEWS) Two days of hearings began on Monday for the United States Food and Drug Administration to decide whether or not to approve genetically modified salmon as safe for people to eat.

If the FDA decides in favor of the “mutated” fish, then it will be the first time that a genetically modified animal has ever been approved to be placed on dinner tables, in stores, and on restaurant menus. As of now the only genetically altered foods which are approved are soybeans and corn.

Waltham, Massachusetts based AquaBounty Technologies claims that if they are approved, that these fish will help reduce pollution, disease, and other problems which salt water farms can cause. They also feel that the altered salmon would give people another choice of seafood that could help slow down over fishing.

Opponents say that the fish will pose a threat to humans as well as the environment. They also fear that approving this fish will open the door to all sorts of genetically altered animals. Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food and Water Watch in Washington made the following statement:

“We don’t know if it’s safe for humans to eat and the only research that has been done was done by the company. The FDA is an under-resourced agency that has had so much trouble with the regulatory system for foods — we’ve had tainted eggs, poisonous peanuts and other contaminations — and is now taking on something in a very non-transparent way.”