AquaBounty: label the salmon, for everyone’s sake

The company responsible for the FDA-approved genetically engineered salmon says it has no plans to label the fish as such, but this is a mistake - for both the company and consumers

• Canada sued over approval of genetically modified salmon scheme

It's been barely a month since the US Food and Drug Administration approved a genetically engineered salmon for human consumption, and the fish continues to be the subject of editorials and talk shows, all converging on the controversial issue of labeling.

Much to the annoyance of opponents of genetically engineered foods, the FDA did not require AquaBounty, the Massachusetts-based company that developed the fish, to label the salmon as a lab creation. In a draft guideline on labeling genetically engineered salmon, the FDA reasoned that there is no material difference between the genetically engineered salmon and its run-of-the-mill cousins, but it dropped rather heavy hints regarding voluntary labeling, even suggesting specific wording that avoids the demonized letters "GMO" in favor of terms like "bioengineering" or "modern biotechnology".