As a federal regulatory panel mulls over whether to approve genetically modified salmon for human consumption, a new effort to require labeling for the engineered fish is afoot.

Rep.
Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), chairwoman of the House committee that controls
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture
budgets, introduced a bill Wednesday that would mandate labeling of
genetically modified fish.

According to her office, DeLauro’s
Consumers Right to Know Food Labeling Act would also require USDA to
mandate that products of cloned animals be labeled, if intended for
human consumption.

“A recent Food & Water Watch survey
revealed that 78 percent of Americans do not want genetically-engineered
salmon to be approved and made available in stores and restaurants,”
said DeLauro in a statement.  “It is obvious that the American public
wants to be able to make informed decisions when purchasing their food
and that they want to be able to differentiate cloned or genetically
modified products from natural products.”

“Because the FDA is
treating these genetically modified salmon not as a food issue but as an
animal drug issue, current regulations would leave the consumers unable
to discern between these new modified salmon and traditional salmon,”
she added. “If FDA approves the genetically modified salmon the American
public deserves to know the truth about their food, and this
legislation will ensure that they are provided with this critical
information.”