FDA's cloned food risk assessment flawed, claims review

The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) risk assessment on meat and milk from cloned animals is based on virtually no scientific evidence to support, according to an independent review released yesterday by the Center for Food Safety (CFS).

According to the report, FDA found no peer-reviewed studies on meat from cloned cows or on milk or meat from the offspring of cow clones. The group also said the agency found just three peer-reviewed studies on milk from cloned cows, adding that all three studies showed differences in milk from clones that should have prompted further research.

In addition, it noted that there were no peer-reviewed studies on meat from cloned pigs and goats or their offspring.

"FDA's flawed approach falls far short of providing the kind of rigorous scientific assessment that Americans deserve before these experimental animals are allowed into the food supply," said Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of CFS.

The group added that "despite FDA's claim that there is 'no difference' between food from clones and their progeny and food from naturally-bred animals, most of the studies they reviewed found troubling abnormalities and defects in animal clones which could pose food safety risks".

The report was released during a public comment period on FDA's planned approval of food from cloned animals.