The following is an excerpt.
The New York Times reports today that Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Aldi supermarket chains have decided not to sell a new form of genetically modified fish. The FDA is set to approve the sale of a type of salmon genetically engineered to mature more quickly than its natural ancestors. This will be the first genetically modified animal approved for human consumption. While the FDA has determined that the genetic alteration of the fish has no effect on its meat, “Frankenfish”—as some have called it—still gives many consumers the heebie-jeebies.
I would just like to point out that consumer demand for natural fish has prompted a market response that provides convenient access for GM-wary eaters while (most importantly) preserving choice for less-cautious consumers. Mandatory labels like those proposed last year in California were not needed to ensure consumers received desired information; retailers have filled that function instead.
View the original article here: Genetically Modified Choice
