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Back in 2004, there was a cheesy, straight-to-DVD horror movie made called Frankenfish. The name and genre pretty much explain the whole plot: a genetic experiment goes awry and a bunch of fish/snake mutants run amok. Today, the term Frankenfish is being used by media outlets as an easy way to stir up public debate against genetically engineered salmon that may soon find its way into our food supply.

Genetically Engineered Foods

Modern genetic engineering techniques involve taking DNA from one species (plant or animal) and inserting it into another species in order to achieve favorable characteristics. This differs from cross-pollination (a simpler form of genetic engineering) because the two species being combined cannot breed in nature. A well-known example of this occurred in the 1990s when scientists tried to introduce arctic flounder DNA into tomatoes and strawberries to make them frost-resistant. That experiment failed.

Genetically Engineered Salmon

Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is debating whether or not to allow genetically engineered salmon into the American food supply. These genetically engineered salmon were created by a company called AquaBounty. AquaBounty has successfully introduced DNA from two different fish (Chinook Salmon and Ocean Pout) into Atlantic Salmon. The new DNA allows the salmon to grow twice as fast as it’s non-engineered cousins.

If the FDA approves AquaBouty’s salmon, this will be the first time a genetically engineered animal has entered our food supply. Currently, the only other GE foods in our food supply are corn and soybeans.

Super Salmon or Frankenfood?

Ever since modern genetic engineering began in the 1970s, there has been heated debate on both sides of the issue. Many restaurant owners and consumers firmly stand against serving genetically engineered foods, whereas other people are not as harsh in their opinions. With the salmon debate on the table, the sides are divided along the same lines as always.

Here is what proponents of genetically engineered salmon say:

• GE Salmon is the same as regular salmon. GE Salmon has the same nutrient content, fat content, flavor, color and smell as regular salmon. It just grows faster, so there is no measurable difference.
• GE Salmon can save the species. Humans have hunted and farmed Atlantic Salmon to near extinction, and our taste for the fish is only increasing. GE Salmon will reduce the strain on the species.
• There is no risk of them escaping. GE Salmon will be bred and raised in inland facilities, so there is no chance of them escaping into the ocean.
• They cannot interbreed with regular salmon. Most of the GE Salmon will be sterile females so there is practically no chance that they can interbreed with regular salmon.

The opposition has these talking points:

• The research is flawed. A recurring theme with a lot of new food products is that all of the research “proving” its safety was done by the very company who developed the food making those results tainted. Objective third parties and peer review is the only way to gain un-biased data.
• Yes, they could escape and cross-breed. AquaBounty’s own statements say that most of the fish will be sterile. Most is not all, so there’s a chance that GE salmon could escape and interbreed with other salmon or simply eat up all of their food. Enter the plot from another book/movie, but this one involves dinosaurs from the Jurassic period in a park.
• It could introduce more allergens. Sure, if you’re allergic to fish, you’re not going to be eating GE salmon anyway, but introducing foreign DNA may cause more people to become allergic to fish.
• This is not what God intended. The “God card” is a big one in any debate against genetic manipulation, and it goes back to the story of Frankenstein. The bottom line is, God didn’t intend those species of fish to interbreed, and we humans are upsetting His plan.

Do Consumers Care?

The big question for restaurant owners is: Do my customers care? According to a few blog posts and articles that I’ve read, there seems to be little public opinion. However, consumer groups are mounting their campaigns against this newest Frankenfood. One thing consumer groups are pushing for is labeling if GE Salmon is approved. This will help restaurants whose customer base does not want GE Foods on the menu. However, since GE Salmon is “basically the same” as non-genetically engineered salmon, AquaBounty argues that labeling is not necessary.

This whole labeling debate sounds like what the dairy industry just went through with regards to “no growth hormone” labeled milk. It turns out that a majority of consumers prefer milk that doesn’t come from cows injected with growth hormones. Is the same thing going to happen for GE Salmon? Probably. I’m guessing GE Salmon will be approved, but it won’t be labeled initially. So, the only surefire way to find non-GE Salmon in a couple of years will be to buy stuff labeled “Wild Caught.”

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