FDA Gives Final Okay to Food From Cloned Animals

As expected, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday officially declared meat and milk from cloned cattle, swine and goats, and their offspring to be as safe for human consumption as food from non-cloned animals. Due to "insufficient information," the agency recommended that food from other species of cloned animals, "such as sheep," not be introduced into the food supply at this time.

Citing "years of detailed study and analysis," the FDA stressed that cloned animals are not genetically engineered animals, since their DNA is not altered in the cloning process. The FDA also suggested that due to the extreme cost of cloning, most food products would come from the offspring of cloned animals, rather than the original clones. "Due to their cost and rarity, clones are intended to be used as elite breeding animals to introduce desirable traits into herds more rapidly than would be possible using conventional breeding," stated the FDA in a press release.

FDA will not require any special labeling of food or milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones, or their offspring. However, labels such as "this product is clone-free," would require special approval by the FDA in order to ensure that the claims are truthful and not misleading to consumers.

As reported here on January 7, Congress may still try to block the sale of food from cloned cattle through requirements for more research.

Also See:
FDA Finds Cloned Animals Safe to Eat (2003)
Bush Backs 'Frankenfoods'