Frankensalmon: Salmon spelled with a Q

There’s nothing quite like a nice grilled AqAdvantage salmon with herb butter. At least that’s what AquaBounty Technologies hope consumers will say if they ever get to eat what could become the first genetically-engineered animal approved for human consumption. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing an application from the Boston-based company for a salmon altered to grow at twice the rate of normal salmon. It’s made by combining a growth hormone gene from a Chinook salmon with a DNA sequence from the ocean pout (similar to the eel) and injecting the gene into Atlantic salmon eggs. Final approval is expected in less than a year, and scientists and environmentalists say the decision could either open the floodgates to more genetically modified animals showing up on dinner plates or undermine future GE efforts.