Food is classified as genetically engineered when scientists combine genes from different organisms. The latest creation, genetically modified salmon, could be hitting shelves in as little as 16 months.  Regrettably, health experts are overlooking potential dangers to stimulate the food industry.

            Some justify genetically engineering foods as a way to feed the growing population.  However, world census charts show that international population growth rates are continually decreasing.  In the 1960s the growth rate peaked over 2 percent as opposed to the current growth rate which is slightly above 1 percent, and is expected to decrease to .5 percent by 2050.

            Salmon has become the latest food, and first living animal, to be genetically altered for human consumption.  This new fish is raising some suspicion.

            Common foods such as corn, potatoes, and strawberries have already been genetically engineered.  However, all of these foods are nonliving and have different and simpler genetic makeups than a living, breathing, fish. 

            The fish will be injected with a gene from the Pacific chinook salmon and genetic material from the ocean pout, an eel-like fish, that would allow [the salmon] to grow into full-sized fish in half the time that it would take a regular salmon, according to CNN.

            The Food and Drug Administration is currently evaluating the fish to establish its ability to be sold; however we do not have enough information nor has the fish been tested enough to determine whether the salmon is safe for consumers to eat.

            “This is a dangerously limited set of data. Even the FDA acknowledges problems in the sample size, what’s the rush?” Wenonah Hauter, with the consumer watchdog group Food & Water Watch said in an interview with CNN.

            The food industry is using genetics to create more food, but placing products on the market that have not been thoroughly tested is not the answer. 

            “We have to come up with better ways of farming and getting food overall. This is a quick fix for this industry right now,” Chris McOmber, biology teacher, said.

            A quick fix could potentially harm those who choose to eat the latest genetic creation.  In humans, even slight genetic changes can cause defects such as down syndrome according to Genetics Home Reference.  Much less is known about genetic changes in fish, therefore making these changes potentially harmful.

            With such little knowledge on the impacts of genetic changes in these fish, the FDA cannot possibly allow producers to sell their product.  Only until thorough testing has proven that this genetic creation is safe for human consumption, genetically engineered salmon should not be sold to the public.