US could approve clones as food
US - The US could approve cloned animals for use as food in two to three years, according to experts.
11 July 2007
1 minute read
| Cloning could have limited value in breeding programmes |
But cloned meat is unlikely to appear on supermarket shelves in Britain or elsewhere in Europe anytime soon.
Currently, most cloning is carried out for scientific reasons, but it could one day be used to help improve the quality and efficiency of livestock.
However, observers say cloning is not likely to supercede any of the other techniques used by livestock breeders.
At a news conference in London, scientists said they could think of absolutely no health risk to consumers from eating cloned meat.
Elite animals
Following a five year study, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft ruling last year that meat and milk from cloned animals was safe for human consumption.The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is also carrying out its own investigation into the safety of cloned food.
EFSA will also look at its impact on animal welfare, biodiversity and the environment.
Source: BBC News
