AquaBounty Technologies has received Food and Drug Administration Approval for a first US facility to commercially produce AquAdvantage Salmon, the company’s trademark Atlantic-Pacific “hybrid” salmon.
The Maynard-, Massachusetts based outfit had earlier received that permission in Canada after the FDA in November 2015 granted permission to alter and sell Atlantics for human consumption. A US grow-out had not then been approved.
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Now it is, and the company, owned by Intrexon Corp., can now raise AquAdvantage at its land-based contained facility near Albany, Indiana. However, commercial production of AquAdvantage Salmon in the US now only awaits official labelling guidelines by the FDA.
The Indiana facility as currently configured has a production capacity of 1,088 tonnes per year and was designed to allow significant expansion.
Milestone
“This is another milestone in our journey to bring our healthy and sustainable salmon to consumers,” AquaBounty CEO, Ron Stotish, said in a statement.
“Our Albany facility is within a few hours’ drive of major markets in Indianapolis, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Columbus, Louisville, and St. Louis, providing us with tremendous opportunity for growth.”
Shannon Henry, Delaware County Commissioner, added, “We are extremely excited that a cutting-edge aquaculture company like AquaBounty chose Delaware County to grow their operation. The jobs being created at this facility and large capital investment is welcomed news. We will continue to support their efforts.”
AquAdvantage Salmon has been enhanced to grow to market size in about half the time of a traditional farmed Atlantic salmon. It is grown only in land-based contained facilities using a sterile, all-female population.
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