Do you know about Genetically modified fish? Did you ever try them? Are you scared that it might not be safe to eat them?
Most people are anxious about GMO food. Although there is plenty of GMO food is available in the store. In reality, people are not aware of them. It is natural for them to avoid something like that.
So, are GMOs dangerous? What is GMO food? In this article, we are going to share this information.
What does GMO mean?
At first, let us understand the term GMO. It stands for genetically modified organisms. Sometimes they are also called genetically engineered animals or foods.
Every organism, there is a genetic code that determines your height, eye color, body built, etc. Usually, half the genetic code comes from the mother and another half from the father.
In a way, people have been using genetic modifications without even knowing about it. Farmers make sure that the good crops are bred to form the next generation. It could make them more resistant to pests and have better taste.
Similarly, animals selectively bred to make the next generation better. It was a natural process of genetic modification. However, there is an artificial way for genetic engineering.
Scientists have found a way to activate or deactivate a gene for a particular trait. It makes the genetic modification process easier.
How genetic modification is better than selective breeding?
When plants and animals breeds, there is a natural process of gene shuffle in their body. So, there is no way to control which genes the offspring will inherit.
It can bring many unwanted traits in the next generation. Gene modification makes it possible to have better crops and food without additional genes.
Why people are concerned with GMO foods?
Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t understand this technology. They think that GMOs can be harmful to the human body. But so far, there is no scientific evidence that it can cause such damage.
Additionally, they raise ethical questions of altering the genes and influencing them to our advantage. Hence, there is limited use of technology.
Do plants and animals go through genetic modifications at present?
At present, this technology is used mainly in plants and few animals. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration approved a genetically engineered fish for consumption.
They say that the modified salmon is nutritious and is not harmful to people. It has the same nutrition that you can get by eating wild salmon.
The FDA provided strict restrictions where salmon fish farming is acceptable. At present, only Canada and Panama have permission to do so. These fish will be available in stores soon.
How genetic modification changes the fish?
Currently, there are 35 different species of fish that are genetically engineered. Usually, the fishes are changed to have more muscles.
To do that, it needs a genetic alteration that increases its growth hormone production. As a result, the fishes grow faster with more muscles.
Let us look at the Atlantic salmon as an example. It receives a gene from another from the Pacific salmon. It can influence the production of growth hormone and activates some other gene in the Atlantic salmon.
One of them is the antifreeze protein. Overall, the result of these alterations is the faster growth of the fish. The genetically modified fish develops two to three times faster matures.
Many environmentalists are against the idea of genetic modification. But commercially, this is like a dream come true.
It lowers the expense of farming at the same time raises their sale. A big catch is what the consumers want.
On the other hand, if fishes farming saves the fish in nature. As GMO fishes mature faster and grow big, there is little pressure to catch them on feed on them.
Are GMO fish safe for the environment?
One threat remains if these fishes escape into the wild, there may be unpredictable results that we don’t like. If the fish remains in the wild, there is no harm.
But the problem is if it communicates with the fish in nature and breeds. We don’t know what could be the result.
They may affect the food chain and ecosystem. It can also affect the population of other species. All these aspects are quite unpredictable, and so we are not aware of how it may affect the environment.
GMO fishes eat a lot
If we look at the matter in detail, a fish that has more growth hormone will have a high metabolism rate. It means they have to eat more, which puts the lower food chain in danger.
On the other hand, if they have to hunt more, they will be open to predators. It may cancel out the effect and keep the food chain safe.
Some researchers argue that plenty of food is available for the fish in the farming environment. Food is limited in the wild. When there is less food, the fish won’t grow as much as it does in the tank.
GMO fishes are bigger
The fish also have a bigger build, which makes them dominant compared to the natural salmon fish. So, they might compete with the real salmon and threaten them.
GMO fishes have increased growth, which means they mature faster with a short life span. So, a GMO fish can die out quickly without affecting nature.
Faster reproduction
A shorter lifespan means it can reproduce faster and cause damage. Although, we have to consider the fact that natural salmon maturity can’t match with the GMO salmon fishes. So, crossbreeds may not be possible between the two.
On top of that, they will expose themselves to predators when they come out for breeding. Another point is that these salmons don’t know how to spawn like the wild salmons.
However, few companies that work with GMO fishes understands the threat. Hence, they modify the fish’s genes to be sterile. As a result, there is no such threat if the fish escapes into the wild.
Final words
So far, if we consider all the facts, then GMO fishes improve the environment rather than threaten it. Of course, there are chances, but we don’t know what could be a harmful effect. Hence, we have nothing to worry about genetically modified fish.