Canada becomes second
country to determine AquAdvantage Salmon is safe to eat
and poses no environmental concern.
MAYNARD, Mass., May 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AquaBounty
Technologies, Inc. (AIM: ABTU; OTC: AQBT), a biotechnology company
focused on enhancing productivity in aquaculture, and a
majority-owned subsidiary of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON),
announces today that Health Canada has concluded its review of
the AquAdvantage® Salmon (AAS) and has approved it for
commercial sale in Canada. Additionally the Animal Feed
Division of the Animal Health Directorate of the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA) has determined that feed ingredients
derived from AAS do not present livestock feed safety or nutrition
concerns when compared with feeds derived from other permitted
salmon to be used as livestock feed in Canada.
Ronald L. Stotish,
Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of AquaBounty, commented: "We are
pleased to receive the approvals of the various authorities of
Canada which means we can produce,
sell and eat our AquAdvantage Salmon in Canada. We thank the scientists in the
Ministries of Health, Food Inspection and Fisheries of the Canadian
Government for carrying out their assessments diligently and
confirming the safety of our salmon for both the consumer and the
environment.
"Alongside the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration in November 2015,
there are now two independent reviews by two of the most
sophisticated and demanding regulators in the world and both have
come to the same conclusion. We look forward to bringing our
nutritious salmon to consumers to enjoy in an environmentally
responsible manner without damaging and exploiting the oceans, with
the assurance it is as safe and healthy as the Atlantic salmon they
are eating now."
Health Canada Safety Assessment
Health Canada (HC), the
department of the government of Canada with responsibility for national public
health, conducted a comprehensive assessment of AAS according to
the Codex Alimentarius Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety
Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Animals. These
guidelines are internationally accepted principles for establishing
the safety of foods with novel traits. The safety assessment
considered:
- how AAS was developed;
- how the composition and nutritional quality of AAS compares to
non-modified salmon;
- what the potential is for AAS to be toxic or cause allergic
reactions; and
- the health status of AAS.
The Health Canada review concluded that AAS does not raise
concerns related to food safety. The Department also noted its
opinion that fillets derived from AAS are as safe and nutritious as
fillets from currently available farmed Atlantic salmon.
Health Canada Notes Previous Determination by Fisheries and
Oceans Canada
The report produced by Health Canada noted that Fisheries and
Oceans Canada (DFO) conducted an environmental and indirect human
health risk assessment in 2013 for fish products of biotechnology,
which concluded that there was no concern for the environment or
indirect human health from the contained production of these
fish.
CFIA Determination
The Animal Feed Division (AFD) considered both intended and
unintended effects and similarities and differences between AAS and
unmodified salmon relative to the safety and nutrition of feed
ingredients derived from AAS for their intended purpose,
including:
- the potential impact of AAS on animal health and human safety,
as it relates to the potential transfer of residues into foods of
animal origin and worker/bystander exposure to the feed;
- the potential impact of AAS on livestock nutrition; and
- the potential impact of feeds derived from AAS on the
environment.
The AFD also considered whether feeds derived from AAS meet the
definitions and requirements of feeds as listed in Schedule IV of
the Feeds Regulations. It concluded that, as of 19 May 2016, feed ingredients derived from AAS
are authorized for use in livestock feeds.
About AquaBounty Technologies, Inc.
AquaBounty
Technologies, Inc. is a publicly traded company whose largest
shareholder is Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON). Intrexon is a
synthetic biology company with diverse interests in medicine, food
and agriculture, and fuels and the environment. AquaBounty is an
aquaculture company focused on improving productivity in commercial
aquaculture, a $157 billion industry
and the fastest-growing segment of the worldwide food industry.
AquaBounty's objective is the application of biotechnology to
ensure the availability of high-quality seafood to meet global
consumer demand. AquaBounty is developing products to address
critical production constraints in the most popular farmed species,
focusing initially on salmon and trout. Its AquAdvantage fish
program is based upon a single, specific trait that results in more
rapid growth, particularly in early development.
Safe Harbor Statement
Some of the statements made in
this press release are forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations
and projections about future events and generally relate to our
plans, objectives, and expectations for the development of our
business, including the commercial availability of our products.
Although management believes that the plans and objectives
reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are
reasonable, all forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties and actual future results may be materially different
from the plans, objectives, and expectations expressed in this
press release.
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SOURCE AquaBounty Technologies, Inc.