GENETICALLY modified salmon which grow twice as fast as their natural counterparts are

The fish, called AquAdvantage salmon, could be sold in American within two to three years, raising fears among environmental and food-safety campaigners.

The US Food and Drug Administration is to hold a public meeting on 19 September on the DNA-altered fish, which could also open the door to producing genetically engineered trout and tilapia.

FDA experts reported that the altered salmon were “as safe to eat as food from other Atlantic salmon” and that they saw “no biologically relevant differences” in vitamins, minerals or fatty acids. The fish are “highly unlikely” to cause significant harm to the environment, the report added.

However, critics of the technology have voiced concerns that it could lead to the creation of mutant fish and could harm wild fish populations if they escape.

Shares in Aqua Bounty, the company that has created the fish, rose 26 percent on Friday.