FDA: Altered salmon are safe

Bloomberg News Service, Herald and News 12/23/12

WASHINGTON — Salmon that have been genetically engineered to grow twice as fast as their natural counterparts inched a little closer toward the nation’s dinner tables on Friday.

The Food and Drug Administration released its findings that the fish do not pose a threat to the environment and are “as safe as food from conventional Atlantic salmon.”

That removed a key hurdle for a Massachusetts - based company seeking to market the modified salmon, which critics derisively have dubbed “Frankenfish.”

But the move also reignited a long-running debate over whether a nation that already grows and consumes genetically modified plants such as corn and soybeans is prepared to make a similar leap when it comes to animals.

Food-safety activists, environmental groups and traditional salmon fishing industries are staunchly opposed to such a step and are part of a broader global struggle over the use of genetically modified foods.

Countries in the European Union have banned some genetically modified foods outright and instituted tight labeling requirements on foods that contain modified ingredients. Countries such as Russia, Japan and Peru also have instituted restrictions on genetically altered foods.

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