Discussion threads
One of the issues with this GMO is the threat that the GE salmon poses to native species
through competition for scarce resources like food and habitat, transgenic contamination, and a
rise in foreign illnesses and parasites. Since the GMO salmon is new and different from the
original, we can never be sure what harm it might cause. Additionally, it is quite understandable
that people in the community would be wary of consuming the GMO salmon before it is labeled.
In my opinion, the concerns about this GMO are valid. Last but not least, some agricultural
businesses need to be condemned for prioritizing profit over potential threats to the environment,
human health, and the economy, and the government needs to be criticized for not effectively
regulating it.
Despite the issues, I think this GMO should still be used because it will increase the
production of farmed salmon and offer a fast-growing, sustainable alternative to wild salmon. In
a recent article, Klaus G. Grunert and a few other writers argued that the use of GM foods should
continue due to their lower production costs, positive effects on the environment, and potential
for future product development in terms of sensory, practical, and health-related attributes.
Connecting to Grunert’s article, is an article by Greenberg and Graham about genetic
engineering. According to the article “Genetic engineering, so far it has been debated in the
context of productivity gains for farmers rather than health gains for consumers. Soon, however,
the marketing of new compounds that claim substantial health benefits will raise such issues in a
different context. New compounds to combat specific chronic diseases can also be created by
conventional means. But the use of genetic engineering can make it possible to produce them
more quickly, in larger quantities, and therefore ultimately at lower cost to consumers.”
(Greenberg & Graham, 2000)
References
● Grunert, K. G., Lähteenmäki, L., Nielsen, N. O., Poulsen, J., Ueland, Ø., & Åström, A.
(2001). Consumer perceptions of food products involving genetic modification—results
from a qualitative study in four Nordic countries. Food Quality and Preference, 12(8),
527–542. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0950-3293(01)00049-0
● GREENBERG, D., & GRAHAM, M. (2000). Improving Communication About New
Food Technologies. Issues in Science and Technology, 16(4), 42.
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