Genetically Engineered Salmon | Baby Carrots | Executive Apology
Suspicions Loom Over Safety Of Genetically Engineered Salmon
AquaBounty Technologies has recently announced the readiness of their genetically engineered (GE) salmon for the mass market, and the FDA seems poised to agree.
Due to a decade of research and genetic modification by AquaBounty, the GE fish known as AquaAdvantage salmon matures to adulthood more swiftly than its non-GE relatives. So far, the FDA says that it does not find potential negative health problems with eating the fish.
However, many organizations have raised concerns about the amount of genetic experience on the FDA's panels, the lack of independent analysis, the unusually short public response period, the small sample size of tested animals and the potential allergenic quality of the fish.
"Why is the FDA accepting such sloppy science, flouting its own regulations, giving the public nearly no time to weigh in, and packing its committee full of biotech hacks who will not ask the tough questions necessary to ensure the AquAdvantage salmon is safe before it winds up . . . on our plates?" asks Jill Richardson.
Even if the FDA files a "Finding of No Significant Impact or an Environmental Impact Statement" about AquaAdvantage salmon within thirty days, AquaBounty says the first consumer crop will not be available for two years.
Read More:
- Why is the FDA About to Rubber-Stamp GE Salmon? (Grist)
- The GM Salmon Saga Continues (Food Politics)
- Public Meetings on Genetically Engineered Atlantic Salmon (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)
- FDA panel on Genetically Modified Salmon Leaves Questions Unanswered (USA Today)
Skeptics Denied: Carrot Vending Machine A Success With Ohio Teens
Thanks to the Eat 'em Like Junk Food campaign, students at Mason High in Ohio have an all carrot vending machine. Perhaps surprisingly, the carrot vending machine has enjoyed success amongst the students even against its sweet and salty snack competition. Branding, peer incentive and simply the availability of the carrots contribute to the machine's popularity.
"The point is, reforming school food isn't rocket science. If creative efforts are made to put healthy foods in schools and to get junk food out, kids' diets will improve," Tom Laskawy reports.
With the National School Lunch Program set to expire this month, the success of the carrot vending machine is just one example of ways schools can use inventive strategies to boost non-government subsidized sales and increase the amount of healthy food options for students. However, without a move to support national funding for school food, school food programs may disappear altogether.
Read More:
- Carrot Vending Machine a Surprise Success (Grist)
- National School Lunch Program (United States Department of Agriculture )
The Iowa Egg Executive's Apology
In an emotional and somewhat sensational court hearing, Jack DeCoster, owner of Wright County Egg, an Iowa egg farm that has caused a nationwide salmonella outbreak, apologized. "We were horrified to learn that our eggs may have made people sick," said DeCoster, "We apologize to everyone who may have been sickened by eating our eggs."
Regardless, the angry Senators, upset salmonella sickness victims, and protesting environmentalists who eventually were escorted from the court room did not appear sympathetic to DeCoster's business' growing pains.
DeCoster described the violations as complicated, and spread the blame between the weather and contamination in an ingredient they use in their chicken feed. Helena Bottemiller of Food Safety News points out that "the dozens of positive environmental tests, rodents, loose chickens, and open piles of manure the FDA found make it difficult to pinpoint the mode of contamination."
Read more:
- Congress Grills the Iowa Egg Execs (Food Safety News)
- Egg Producer Says His Business Grew Too Quickly (The New York Times)
