Great news to see grocery stores taking a stand against genetically modified salmon even when the FDA won’t. Beginning with Whole Foods Market decision to require GMO labeling on all products sold in their stores by 2018, now we see Trader Joes and other grocery chains announcing their boycott of GMO salmon, if and when it gets approved for widespread, unlabeled distribution to unsuspecting Americans.
This franken-fish is engineered to grow twice as fast as a normal wild salmon.
Perhaps the biggest factor for me about GMOs in general is that while scientists have figured out how to splice genes from one kingdom onto genes from another kingdom and turn them “ON”, they don’t know how to turn them “OFF” afterward.
According to Jeffery Smith, director of the Institute for Responsible Technology, the bacteria in your gut can pick up these genes so that they may continue replicating inside your body.
Now if that’s not appetite-destroying, think about it a little more.
Biology tells us that kingdoms don’t –and shouldn’t– cross-mate. You never see a pig, for example, mating with a beetle and producing babies. Or a butterfly mating with corn to produce butterfly-corn offspring… Except in the labs where they are creating genetically modified foods for human consumption.
A month or so from now, with FDA approval, this transgenic salmon may begin making its way into our food supply. It will be served in banquet halls, in restaurant chains, and in school lunch programs. And here’s the kicker: you’ll never know because it will not be required to be labeled as such.
Let’s not overlook our pets. Mainstream brands of pet foods already include GMO products like corn and soy; now the fish will be GMO, too. Sorry Kitty.
It’s getting more and more difficult to opt-out of this massive experiment on the public health, even for the extremely vigilant.
The FDA is accepting public comments on the pending approval of AquAdvantageAE Salmon through April 26, 2013. Consider leaving a comment letting the government know your thoughts on the matter.
