Genetically engineered salmon: Coming soon to a bagel near you?

[meti57b]

April 11, 2013

by Lisa Kassner

http://www.jewishjournal.com/opinion/article/genetically_engineered_salmon_coming_soon_to_a_bagel_near_you

Do you want to be experimented on by eating sushi or bagels and lox made with a new type of salmon with eel genes in it — salmon which hasn’t been adequately tested for safety of human consumption?

If not, then we in the Jewish community need to speak up now, for the sake of our health, the environment, kashrut, and to ensure that there will be native salmon left in the future.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking public comments through April 26, on whether to approve the first genetically engineered (“GE” or “GMO”) animal species: Atlantic salmon with chinook salmon and ocean pout (eel, non-kosher) genes forced into its DNA.

Manufacturer AquaBounty plans to sell it without a GE label. You won’t know you are eating it.

Over 300 consumer, health, fishing, environmental, parent, and animal rights groups are opposing FDA approval. The Los Angeles City Council unanimously opposes it. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s pledge not to sell it.

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[Mosby]

1. The article fails to explain a lot of things

and starts off with typical scare tactics:

Do you want to be experimented on by eating sushi or bagels and lox made with a new type of salmon with eel genes in it — salmon which hasn’t been adequately tested for safety of human consumption?

Why are eel genes dangerous? The article doesn't say.

Why would any DNA in food be dangerous, your stomach enzymes break down DNA into simple proteins.

I suspect the real risk, if any, of GMO foods is environmental, not pathogenic or carcinogenic concerns.

[ellisonz]

2. I agree with your assessment.

Tired of the scare tactics

[Jim Levy]

3. I don't believe eels are dangerous ...

... however, they aren't kosher.

[Mosby]

4. That's true but the issue about the kosher status of GM foods is very complex

Right now the Orthodox Union think GM food is OK but many others don't.

[Jim Levy]

5. I don't have a problem with GM Food either

I just believe that it is a technical improvement on the selective breeding (just another form of genetic modification) that man has been doing since -- well, forever.

Whether or not food from an animal is kosher if it contains the DNA of a non-kosher animal is a question I will leave to the Rabbis. That being said, I can't think of an example from nature where a kosher animal had offspring with a non-kosher animal (unless you count my brother's marriage).

My read of the article is this is someone looking to bash GM Foods using the kosher argument versus the traditional scare tactics.

[question everything]

6. Well said

Sorry about your brother..

And welcome to DU