Environmental and consumer groups made good on their pledge, issued last Nov. 19, to challenge in court the FDA’s approval of the sale and consumption of the genetically engineered salmon developed by AquaBounty Technologies. A lawsuit has been filed in U.S. district court in San Francisco that says the agency lacked authority to approve a GE animal, and that it failed to consider the impact on marine life and the environment if the salmon escape into the wild.
The AquBounty salmon is the only genetically engineered animal cleared for human consumption, a landmark for biotechnology. “The approval of the GE salmon opens the door to other genetically engineered fish and shellfish, as well as chickens, cows, sheep, goats, rabbits and pigs that are reportedly in development,” said the plaintiffs in a statement.
Although it may be years before GE salmon reaches the supermarket, Greenpeace said last fall that nine supermarket chains — Aldi, Giant Eagle, H-E-B, Hy-Vee, Meijer, Target, Safeway, Whole Foods and Winco — representing 15 percent of the 37,000 supermarkets in the United States had pledged not to sell the fish.
To read the lawsuit, click here.