Wednesday, December 5, 2012

DNA salmon: Perfect fish or chemically toxic food?



Can a scientifically genetically DNA induced fish that matures twice as fast as a natural fish be a healthier choice for you? The founder of the Aquabounty would want you to believe DNA duped fish are superior to wild catch ocean salmon; however, that has yet to be proven and approved by the FDA.

GMO Food in America
Genetically modified food affects over 90% of the food produced in America. Farm raised seafood is no stranger to the process as it has been receiving GMO by-products in the food it is fed. However, creating the “perfect” salmon through DNA modification seems to be taking the GMO concept to an all new level. In 2010, the FDA determined that the Aquabounty salmon was as safe to eat as traditional fish, yet they haven’t given the full go ahead for the company to produce the fish. Without the FDA approval, Aquabounty will soon run out of resources and may have to put their “super fish” idea on hold.

Aquabounty claims that a larger sized fish is just one of the benefits in their DNA salmon. “Animal biotechnology” is a scientific way of building a better fish through manipulating the DNA, producing the most desirable attributes to design the outcome wanted. The lag in the process is clearly with the FDA, which may become a deterrent to future manufacturers of genetically modified seafood in the future.

The claim that GMO food has no connection to any illness or disease is simply not true. The perfecting of fish may seem like a good alternative between consuming fish whom have ingested contaminates in the ocean as opposed to those who have been raised in a contaminate free environment, producing a supposedly healthier fish. But the problem with GMO food products and their safety to the public has been under scrutiny for many, many years. European countries have mostly banned GMO’s, along with countries like Japan. In those countries, diseases like cancer are greatly lower than they are in the United States.

DNA Super or toxic fish?
The purpose behind the DNA “super fish” is to give you more fish for your dollar. The DNA injected into the salmon produces a larger fish by scale to the wild caught salmon. The debate is that there are just as many concerns with wild caught fish that are exposed to toxic pollution in the oceans as there are to GMO or DNA produced fish; however, GMO food products have not proven to lower health risks when it comes to health concerns.

Where the fish is caught and under which conditions it is caught is just as important as to whether it’s fresh or wild caught. Even “farm raised fish” are often considered “wild caught” under certain conditions.

The best policy would be for the FDA to demand that all GMO food products are labeled. Consumers should be able to make an informed decision about their food and the FDA should enforce that policy.

Quick Tips for Wellness: Follow this link to find GMO free and organic choices for seafood (http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com/brands/meat-fish-and-eggs.html?bid=213)

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