Cloned meat is as safe as any other.
That’s what the federal government said yesterday in removing the last major hurdle that barred genetically duplicated cows, pigs, and other livestock from reaching US markets.
“Meat and milk from cattle, swine and goat clones are as safe as food we eat every day,” said Dr. Stephen Sundloff, the Food and Drug Administration’s food-safety chief.
The FDA won’t require food makers to label if their products came from cloned animals.
But the government has asked animal-cloning companies to continue a voluntary moratorium on sales for a little longer.
The controversy over whether duplicated prized animals could provide safe, top quality food has been raging since 1997 when the Scottish researchers produced the first cloned animal, Dolly, a sheep.
There are now more than 500 cloned animals in the United States, but the livestock industry has so far followed a voluntary ban.
Ironically, yesterday’s ruling said more information was needed about cloned sheep like Dolly, but nothing bad had been found in cattle, pigs and goats.
Nevertheless, the Agriculture Department asked the still-tiny cloning industry to extend the voluntary ban during the “transition” period.
Undersecretary Bruce Knight said the voluntary ban was needed for “allowing the marketplace to adjust.” He wouldn’t say how long the moratorium should continue.
“This is about market acceptance,” Knight added.
Several firms, including dairy giant Dean Foods and Hormel Foods, have said that because of consumer anxiety, they have no plans to sell milk or meat from cloned animals.
“The FDA has acted recklessly,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.). “Just because something was created in a lab doesn’t mean we should have to eat it.
“If we discover a problem with cloned food after it is in our food supply and it’s not labeled, the FDA won’t be able to recall it like they did Vioxx – the food will already be tainted.”