New FDA Report Says Meat, Milk from Cloned Animals Safe
WASHINGTON - New findings from the Food and Drug Administration suggest that milk and meat products from cloned cattle, pigs and goats are safe for consumers to eat, according to a document obtained by Reuters on Thursday.
The news could bring the agency one step closer to determining whether to allow the commercialization of food from cloned animals. A final policy decision is expected next year, according to Reuters.
By using cloned animals, ranchers are able to keep their favorite livestock, ideally providing better tasting meat and more milk and eggs.
"Edible products from normal, healthy clones or their progeny do not appear to pose increased food consumption risk," said the 12-page executive summary of an FDA report. A copy of the report was provided to Reuters by an industry source.
The FDA is expected to release the executive summary of the new report today, and the entire report will be released at a later date.
If the FDA does allow commercialization of cloned animals, grocery stores are most likely to sell meat and milk from the offspring of cloned animals, the agency said. Their parents will probably not be slaughtered for food because of their high price tag.
The report did not address whether these food products should carry a special label alerting consumers that they are derived from cloned animals. FDA officials have said food from cloned animals would not be labeled if there were no significant health risks.
Earlier this year, Japan said it found no abnormalities in meat or milk from cloned animals, but called for creation of a system to deal with problems that might arise.
The news could bring the agency one step closer to determining whether to allow the commercialization of food from cloned animals. A final policy decision is expected next year, according to Reuters.
By using cloned animals, ranchers are able to keep their favorite livestock, ideally providing better tasting meat and more milk and eggs.
"Edible products from normal, healthy clones or their progeny do not appear to pose increased food consumption risk," said the 12-page executive summary of an FDA report. A copy of the report was provided to Reuters by an industry source.
The FDA is expected to release the executive summary of the new report today, and the entire report will be released at a later date.
If the FDA does allow commercialization of cloned animals, grocery stores are most likely to sell meat and milk from the offspring of cloned animals, the agency said. Their parents will probably not be slaughtered for food because of their high price tag.
The report did not address whether these food products should carry a special label alerting consumers that they are derived from cloned animals. FDA officials have said food from cloned animals would not be labeled if there were no significant health risks.
Earlier this year, Japan said it found no abnormalities in meat or milk from cloned animals, but called for creation of a system to deal with problems that might arise.