I'm sixty-one years old and I've seen many changes in the world. But wow was I shocked when I saw yesterday's news.
Case in point..a Massachusetts company named AquaBounty has genetically engineered a new kind of Salmon. Followers have nicknamed the new man made fish...FrankenFish.
AquaBounty took a normal Atlantic Salmon and altered its DNA in such a way that changes its growth patents. The chemistry is way over my head, but here is the Sesame Street explanation...Scientist take a bit of DNA from a Chinook Salmon and another bit from a sea eel and "mix it up" with the DNA of an Atlantic Salmon. The result is a fish that grows faster and larger than a "regular" Salmon.
Why would anyone want a bigger Salmon? Why to eat, naturally.
Up to this point the government will not allow AquaBounty to sell FrankenFish for food. Yes, the FDA has run numerous tests on FrankenFish, all revealing no short term negative effects from eating genetically altered Salmon.
But its just not that simple...Environmentalist, natural food advocates and politicians from Salmon producing states oppose the release of FrankenFish for their own reasons.
I saw one reporter eat a slice of FrankenFish on the TV news yesterday...to me, once cooked, it looked exactly like every other Atlantic Salmon I've seen.
I wonder...whats next?
Wednesday, December 05, 2012
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1 comment:
The minimum standard upon which we should all agree is that, should such be proven safe and become foodstuff, that it would still be clearly labeled for exactly what it is.
We have a serious problem with Monsanto (and others, but primarily Monsanto) fighting any and all legislation to accurately label GMO food. This is unconscionable to me. If it's safe, it should not be an issue for consumers to understand what it is, and how it has been tested.
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