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FDA Signs Off On Genetically Modified Salmon Without Labeling (consumerist.com)
kheldan writes: Today, in a historic decision, the FDA approved the marketing of genetically-engineered salmon for sale to the general public, without any sort of labeling to indicate to consumers they've been genetically altered. According to the article: "Though the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) gives the FDA the authority to require mandatory labeling of foods if there is a material difference between a GE product and its conventional counterpart, the agency says it is not requiring labeling of these GE fish 'Because the data and information evaluated show that AquAdvantage Salmon is not materially different from other Atlantic salmon.' In this case, the GE salmon use an rDNA construct composed of the growth hormone gene from Chinook salmon under the control of a promoter from another type of fish called an 'ocean pout.' According to the FDA, this tweak to the DNA allows the salmon to grow to market size faster than non-GE farm-raised salmon."
A similar thing has already happened with things like gluten free. 90% of the people buying gluten free products have ZERO issues digesting gluten. They had one bad reaction to a product and some ill-informed superstitious fool told them it was gluten related. So now they avoid gluten. Yes, there are a few people with gluten issues If you don't have celiac disease or at least sensitivity to gluten, gluten is not only fine, it's probably good for you. It's a whole grain and most people don't get enough of that.
Was with you up until the last sentence. I've still never heard a reason for gluten free being popular among non-celiac sufferers, so for now I'm assuming it's wilful ignorance. However...
Gluten is the combination of two proteins which naturally occur in wheat and to a lesser extent a few other grains (rye, um, can't think of another one actually...) But there's just as much gluten available in highly refined bleached white flour as there is in whole grains. The parts that are removed to make whole grain flour into white flour contain no gluten at all. Oh, and since gluten is the majority of the protein in wheat, removing it leaves you with something which is almost pure carbs. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on which way the trend winds are blowing, I guess.
Ideology: A tool used primarily to avoid the bother of thinking.
Ah, but that would cut in to their *profits!*
The thing to remember here is of course these Salmon will be significantly cheaper to produce.
Will they be qualitatively different? of course! faster grown species are always noticeably different.
Their trick of course is they will market them as the original species, which they now are not. Just require them
to be marketed under a new name...
Oh, and if you think GM labeling will ever get anywhere in the US, good luck with that, it would cut in to profits.
The dream of the GM growers is lower production costs for the same selling prices, nothing more, nothing less.
because it is relevant information for the customer. I'll wear a tinfoil hat but I don't want genetically modified food for now. I'll wait a couple decades and see what will popup to decide.
Asbestos was also once safe. And so was Talidomide. You are welcome to choose the GE salmon and save a buck. I want to go with the safer option even if it costs a little more. GE salmon farmers want to engage in unfair competition with regular farmers, even if they need to grease up the FDA. I will now pay double for wild salmon, while all farmers adopt GE, because bad labelling forces them to. Oh, and they can forget about ever exporting farmed salmon to Europe.
Another interesting article talking a little less positive about this:
Quote: “No information was taken on the amount of drugs or other things that might have to be used to raise them".
Quote: The main change to the salmon caused them to produce more growth hormone, but tests used by the company couldn’t detect how much they were making, according to Hansen. “It was like using a radar gun that doesn’t detect speeds below 125 miles per hour, and from that concluding that there’s no evidence that cars and bicycles move at different speeds,”
Here's the link: http://www.webmd.com/food-reci...
They have proved it. Over and over and over. You stupid motherfucker.
And I've seen absolutely nothing that makes the case that information should be hidden from consumers. You know consumers, right? They're the ones who pay all the bills for GMOs and GMO research.
You are welcome on my lawn.
If there is no "substantive difference" between the two products, then how the hell are they awarded patents on them?
You are welcome on my lawn.