Controversial Labelling of Genetically Modified Salmon

It has been almost two years since the huge outcry over the decisión taken by Canada’s Department of the Environment which, for the first time, authorized the industrial production of eggs from a genetically modified animal. This resolution led the way to giving the goa head to the North American Company, AquaBounty, to market genetically manipulated salmon eggs (GM) on an industrial scale, marked by a swifter growth rate and a larger size.

At that point, many ventured to say that such a decisión was none other than a foot in the door before the United States Food Safety Authority (FSA) would accept marketing GM salmon for consumption. In fact, these sources were not very far wrong and, on 20th November last, genetically manipulated salmon was approved by the FSA for human consumption.

This entails a landmark in world food since genetically manipulated salmon is the first genetically manipulated animal to be approved as a food. But however, the U.S.A. regulating body has not made it compulsory to have it labelled as such, and thus the controversy is served.