Mixed messages on cloned meat

Posted by Andrew Wadge on July 30th 2008 in Science, safety and health

I was out of the office on Friday, but amused to see the press cuttings on whether cloned meat is safe.  The Daily Mail headline was 'EU food safety experts say No to cloned meat', whilst the Guardian went with 'Cloned meat safe to eat says EU's food agency'. 

Newspaper coverage of food issues is often entertaining, but who should the confused readers believe? 

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advised there is no indication that differences exist in terms of food safety, between food products from healthy cattle and pig clones and their progeny, but noted that there are important concerns about animal health and welfare.  In the UK, we have already conducted research to find out consumer views on cloned animals, which showed that many people are strongly opposed to the use of cloned animals in food. 

EFSA has recognised that the risk assessment is subject to uncertainties, due to the number of studies that have been carried out, and has recommended that the database on edible products from cloned animals and their progeny should be extended, so it may be some time before the public is ready to accept cloned animals as a normal part of food production.

I previously blogged on cloned meat back in January this year.

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Dear Mr. Wadge

Posted by Alvaro (not verified) on 08/09/2008 - 16:28

You're certainly right that yourself and the agency do not hide anything ... that is quite obvious as it is your persistent attitude to repeat yourself on similar topics all the time.
I am not a scientist like yourself but a veterinarian by trade, and I am afraid that for me it is no laughing matter to treat animals like food factories.
Wether you choose to respect it or not, there are ethics in farming that you persistently overlook like when you talk about organic food verus conventional or when you talk about cloned animals
If it wasn't because you certainly do not hide anything someone may feel that you really have a vested interest on the issue.
A real shame that in a country with so much obesity, cancer and heart problems someone like you do not have better topics to talk about!

How can meat from a cloned

Posted by Don Cox (not verified) on 02/09/2008 - 14:04

How can meat from a cloned animal be considered a "novel food"? The whole point of a clone is that it is exactly the same as its parent.
It is not novel at all.

I suggest that the FSA has no jurisdiction here.

Dr Wadge

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on 07/08/2008 - 11:01

Your response confirms the lack of policy and clarity about food from the offspring of clones.
On what legal basis does the Agency base its view that food from the offspring of clones should be considered a novel food?
You will be aware that there is no legal basis for this stance. What is the FSA doing to address this gap in policy, public protection and the law, which has been apparent for some years?

FSA position on cloned meat

Posted by Andrew Wadge on 07/08/2008 - 10:15

Dear Anonymous – The FSA is not hiding anything – which, among other reasons, is why I write this blog and why I don't hide behind anonymity!

I am sorry you don't think our position is clear – so let me try to clarify. Our position is that food businesses need to follow the strict requirements laid down in food law. The position for meat and other products obtained from cloned animals is that they are covered by the existing legislation on novel foods. It remains illegal to market such food until (a) an application for authorisation is made and (b) EU-wide approval is granted under the relevant procedures. The position for products obtained from the offspring of cloned animals and from later generations is less clear, but the Agency has stated that these should also be considered as novel foods.

Hope this is clear!

Dr Wadge

Posted by Anonymous (not verified) on 05/08/2008 - 15:11

Dr Wadge and his colleagues at the FSA have failed to declare a policy on cloned meat and farming. Does it have one? What is it?
It sought to pass responsibility for devising policy on this issue to EFSA, which has now highlighted both animal welfare concerns and the fact that there is an absence of evidence on food safety. EFSA called for research on whether cloning would lead to transmissable animal diseases being passed to humans.
The FSA commissioned research which found the public does not support clone farming or food. This covered both clones and their offspring.
It is not good enough for the FSA to hide behind EFSA. Why has the FSA failed to spell out where it stands on this?

No GM No Cloned Products

Posted by Gabbs (not verified) on 31/07/2008 - 22:31

Who accepts GM or cloned products is selling people's, including his/her children's health too for some money. This is unacceptable!
Do you really want your country to be the world's wastedump??