FDA seeks public comment on cloned food safety

As reported recently on WorldPoultry.net, research by the FDA has indicated that food from cloned animals is safe to consume.

The three documents issued by the FDA are: a draft risk assessment; a proposed risk management plan; and draft guidance for industry.

“Based on FDA’s analysis of hundreds of peer-reviewed publications and other studies on the health and food composition of clones and their offspring, the draft risk assessment has determined that meat and milk from clones and their offspring are as safe as food we eat every day,” said Stephen F Sundlof, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine. “Cloning poses no unique risks to animal health when compared to other assisted reproductive technologies currently in use in US agriculture.”

In spite of the agency’s findings, it is still requesting that producers and breeders do no introduce food from clones into the food supply.

“Because the release of the draft risk assessment and proposed risk management plan marks the beginning of our interaction with the public on these issues, we are continuing to ask producers of clones and livestock breeders to voluntarily refrain from introducing food products from these animals into commerce so that we will have the opportunity to consider the public’s comments and to issue any final documents as warranted,” said Sundlof.