By SOPHIA ROTHMAN, age 12
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
On November 19, 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first ever genetically modified animal approved for human consumption. It is originally a salmon from the Atlantic Ocean that was engineered to grow faster with genes from two other fish. Many scientists are concerned about what could happen if the man-made fish were to enter the wild. This could be dangerous because they could disrupt an ecosystem and possibly outcompete other fish. Also, these fish do not have to be labeled in supermarkets as genetically engineered. Within 24 hours of this decision, the FDA rejected two petitions asking for required labeling of these foods. Without labeling, it will be difficult for consumers to know which fish in the market are genetically modified and which are not.
