
U.S. FDA Lifts Import Ban on GE Salmon
March 13, 2019 |
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement on March 8, 2019 saying that the agency has deactivated an import alert implemented in 2016 that prevented the entry of genetically modified (GE) salmon. During that same year, U.S. Congress instructed the FDA not to let the GE salmon enter the country pending the final labeling guidelines. This directive was given despite FDA's comprehensive analysis of the GE salmon's scientific evidence that proved its safety as food. FDA obliged to Congress' directions by issuing the 2016 import alert.
The deactivation of the said import alert came after the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) announcement in December 2018 on the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard, which requires food manufacturers, importers and retailers to appropriately disclose bioengineered foods. With the USDA issuing and effectively carrying out the food disclosure standard, FDA believes that USDA has satisfied Congress' mandate and has therefore ceased the implementation of their 2016 import alert. This now enables the GE salmon, including salmon eggs used to grow the fish, to enter the U.S.
FDA pointed out their 2015 review findings that the GE salmon is safe to eat, and that it will not cause significant impact to the environment. The agency also encourages other developers of products derived from intentional genetic alterations to approach and work with them during the early part of their product research to determine a predictable and efficient way to regulatory approval.
Read the FDA's statement, and USDA's announcement on National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard for more details.
|
Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10.
-
See more articles:
-
News from Around the World
- Genome of Ancient Crop Could Help Raise Yields
- GM Maize Additional Solution to Help Farmers Improve their Income
- IFPRI Study Says Farmers in Bangladesh Benefited by Adopting Bt Brinjal
- Golden Rice Available in Bangladesh in Months Time
- Scientists Decode the Genetic Basis of Floret Fertility in Wheat
- Research Team Identifies Gene Responsible for Diversity of Fruit Shapes in Brassicas
-
Research Highlights
- Rice Pathogen Gene Enhances Soybean's Resistance to Phytophthora Root and Stem Rot
-
Beyond Crop Biotech
- Engineered Microbes Key to Producing Plastic from Plants
- Scientists Produce Marijuana Extract from Re-engineered Yeast
- U.S. FDA Lifts Import Ban on GE Salmon
-
From the BICs
- Tackling the Menace of Fall Armyworm to Bolster Farmers' Income in India
- PABIC Holds Scicom Workshop for Journalists in Pakistan
-
Plant
- Dek42 Encodes an RNA Binding Protein Affecting Maize Kernel Development
- The Current Status of CRISPR-Cas9 Applications in Food and Agri
- Corn, Other Important Crops Can Now Be Edited by Pollen Carrying CRISPR
-
Read the latest: - Biotech Updates (December 7, 2023)
- Gene Editing Supplement (November 29, 2023)
- Gene Drive Supplement (February 22, 2023)
-
Subscribe to BU: - Share
- Tweet