Genetically modified salmon which grow at twice the speed of their natural counterparts are safe to be farmed and eaten, US regulators have ruled.

The decision by scientists from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) paves the way for the first GM animal to be sold as food.

The fish, called AquAdvantage salmon, could be on American plates within two to three years, raising fears among environmental and food-safety campaigners
However, shares in Aqua Bounty Technologies Inc, the company which created the fish, leapt by 26 per cent on the London Stock Exchange on Friday, indicating that analysts see GM as the future of fish production.

The FDA is to hold a public meeting later this month on the DNA-altered fish, which could also open the door to producing genetically engineered trout and tilapia.

In a report prior to the talks, FDA experts said the altered salmon were "as safe to eat as food from other Atlantic salmon” and that they saw "no biologically relevant differences" in vitamins, minerals or fatty acids.

The fish are "highly unlikely" to cause significant harm to the environment, the report added.

However, critics of the technology have voiced concerns that it could lead to the creation of mutant misshapen fish and could harm wild fish populations if they escape.

Research on GM trout in Canada found that while they grew faster and were much bigger, a number developed misshapen heads and bloated bodies.

A coalition of 31 US consumer, animal welfare, environmental and fisheries groups is opposing approval of the salmon for food production.

They claim tests used to show the safety of the GM salmon were based on very small samples and point out that some of the fish had higher levels of growth hormone in their bloodstream, which is claimed to create a cancer risk.

While the GM fish are supposed to be sterile, critics said up to 5 per cent might be able to conceive and breed if they got into the wild.

"The FDA is basically just assuming these fish are OK to eat," said Jaydee Hanson, a policy analyst for food campaigners the Center for Food Safety.

Pete Riley, director of campaign group GM Freeze, added: “We are extremely concerned about the potential for these fish to escape.”

However, the FDA said the chances of the salmon escaping from production or growing facilities and reproducing are "extremely small" due to the Aqua Bounty’s containment measures.

Aqua Bounty claims the technology could boost the US fish sector and reduce pressure on the environment from overfishing.

The firm’s chief executive Ronald Stotish added that the salmon taste "great”.

The salmon reach a market weight of around 6.6lbs in 16-18 months instead of the three years for farmed fish.

The growth is speeded up by the insertion of two genes, one linked to the production of growth hormone and a second to ensure growth continues even in very cold temperatures.

The technology allows fish farmers to produce many more salmon at much lower cost, so boosting output and profits.

At the three-day meeting starting on September 19, the FDA will seek input from a panel of outside advisers before making a final decision on whether to allow production of the salmon.

The FDA will also listen to views from the public on whether the bio-engineered salmon should be labelled differently to natural fish.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7983700/Fast-growing-GM-salmon-safe-to-be-farmed-and-eaten.html