FILE – This Wednesday, June 19, 2019 file photo shows the first batch of bioengineered Atlantic salmon eggs in an incubation tray at AquaBounty Technologies’ facility in Albany, Ind. On Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020, a federal court judge ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct an environmental assessment of genetically modified salmon that he said was required for the agency’s approval of the fish. But U.S. District Court Judge Vince Chhabria did not vacate the FDA’s approval of the salmon for human consumption in the meantime, because he said the risk for near-term environmental harm is low. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Business News

Genetically modified salmon heading to US dinner plates

by: CASEY SMITH Associated Press

Posted: May 27, 2021 / 06:59 PM EDT

Updated: May 27, 2021 / 07:01 PM EDT

by: CASEY SMITH Associated Press

Posted: May 27, 2021 / 06:59 PM EDT

Updated: May 27, 2021 / 07:01 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The inaugural harvest of genetically modified salmon began this week after the coronavirus pandemic delayed the sale of the first such altered animal cleared for human consumption in the United States.

Company CEO Sylvia Wulf said several tons of salmon engineered by biotech company AquaBounty Technologies Inc. will now head to restaurants and away-from-home dining services in the Midwest and along the East Coast.

AquaBounty has been raising its faster-growing AquAdvantage salmon at an indoor aquaculture farm in Albany, Indiana.

The fish are genetically modified to grow twice as fast as wild salmon, reaching market size in 18 months rather than 36.