After 18 years of research and testing, the US has just approved the production and sale of GM salmon for food, following extensive studies on its safety for human consumption. This is a big step forward in terms of the wider perceptions of GM produce, but it will be interesting to see what the public response is as many are still against the idea of GM seafood.
"It's the first genetically engineered animal for food that's been approved anywhere in the world" Professor Helen Sang, Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh.
What is GM salmon?
Scientists transplanted a growth hormone from a Pacific Chinook Salmon into an Atlantic Salmon to create the transgenic salmon known as the AquAdvantage Salmon.
This means that they reach marketable size in around 18 months, not 3 years, they can be produced all year and they consume feed more efficiently. This means they need less food which could help take pressure off wild stocks, as a large amount of wild fish is used to create food for farmed fish.
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| GM salmon pictured behind regular salmon. Source. |
The fish will not be bred in the US, only Canada and Panama, will be grown in tanks to prevent escape and will be sterile to prevent cross-breeding with wild species. There are still some concerns over the wider impacts of GMOs in the environment.
The Chief Executive of AquaBounty, the biotech company behind the AquAdvantage Salmon, stated that it is "a game-changer that brings healthy and nutritious food to consumers in an environmentally responsible manner without damaging the ocean and other marine habitats".
However, some remain opposed to the approval and marketing of GM salmon, highlighting how the consumer demand for such a product will not be there, and that we need more research into the wider health and ecological impacts. There is also currently no requirement for products which contain GM salmon to be labelled as such, therefore consumers will find it difficult to choose, however the FDA are working on draft guidance for the labelling of GM produce at the moment.
It may take some years before AquAdvantage salmon is fully integrated into the seafood consumer supply chain, and it will be interesting to see whether other countries follow suit now that the US has taken this unprecedented step forward. Furthermore, if GM salmon is to be used to help feed a growing population, access to it and widespread distribution will be key to providing those who need it with a source of protein.
Sounds like an excellent idea to me, as long as they are able to prevent it from interacting with wild populations. I believe there will be a demand for the produce as it will likely be cheaper than other salmon? People who are "opposed" to GM products tend buy them all the time without realising because they often have very little understanding about what GM is.
ReplyDeleteHi Ben, thanks for your comment. I think the price of farmed fish will depend a lot on their feed. For carnivorous fish like salmon, the fatty acids and oils which they get from eating other fish in the wild will need to be produced synthetically if the farmed fish are to have the same nutritional benefit for humans as wild fish. This is still being developed and, as with many things, it will likely become cheaper as it becomes more common. It's likely though, if and when aquaculture goes into larger scale production and setup costs have been offset, that farmed will become cheaper than wild fish, as there are lots of costs associated with fishing which means that, if fewer fish are being caught, the price has to go up to compensate for the fuel/time/equipment which was needed to catch them.
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ReplyDeleteHey Holly, interesting read! I especially like the idea of ensuring that they are sterile. Seems obvious but I had not thought about that particular safeguard option in regards to GM food production.
ReplyDeleteHi Holly! Great blog - I had never even considered the GM production and sale of sea food! I imagine there is not a lot of data out there at the moment, but do you know anything about the costs of producing GM salmon vs farmed fish? Is it really cheap enough (after all those tanks etc) to be a real competitor or are Aqua Bounty taking a massive risk that it will actually catch on?
ReplyDeleteThanks!