- The FDA issues its first approval for a genetically engineered (GE) food, AquaAdvantage Salmon grown by Maynard, MA-based AquaBounty Technologies, a majority-owned subsidiary of Intrexon (XON +4.5%). The company introduces a recombinant DNA construct into the fish which enables them to grow faster and reach market size more quickly.
- Based on its comprehensive review of the scientific evidence, the FDA determined that the GE salmon is nutritious and safe to consume with no biologically relevant differences in the nutritional profile of AquaAdvantage Salmon and other farm-raised Atlantic salmon.
- The approval applies to only two land-based hatcheries, one in Canada and the other in Panama. No AquaAdvantage Salmon are allowed to be bred and raised in the U.S.
- The agency regulates genetically engineered animals under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because the rDNA construct meets the definition of a drug.
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