Genetically modified food is a hot topic.
Already, the majority of corn and soy grown in the U.S. has been genetically modified.
But the science has also reached a range of other consumer products, and that includes salmon, which is set to hit U.S. restaurants and markets next year.
Genetically modified salmon grow quickly, reaching market size in half the time as conventional salmon.
Gene manipulation allows the salmon to grow year round — not just in spring and summer.
The process was first developed by Canadian researchers 30 years ago.
“He took a gene from a chinook salmon and he injected that into an Atlantic salmon,” said Sylvia Wulf, chief executive and president of AquaBounty Technologies. “Because it is one gene from a chinook and 44,000 genes from an Atlantic salmon, that actually accelerates its growth at its most vulnerable stages.”
One area of concern is containment and what would happen if the fish were to escape into nearby streams and rivers, potentially becoming an invasive species.
Farm manager PeterBowyer says the company has a range of measures in place. Read the article.
