A bill pending in the California Legislature demands that steaks, pork chops, milk and other products from cloned livestock is to clearly labelled when they enter the stores.
Safe or not safe?
The FDA in December issued a preliminary report saying there was no evidence that eating meat from cloned cows, pigs and goats – or their offspring – presents concerns about food safety. The agency could grant final approval for manufacturers to sell cloned animal products by year’s end. However, according to research by Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, the FDA has based its preliminary findings on limited samples, said Jean Halloran, the group’s director of food policy initiatives. Findings that cloned pork could be safe, for example, were based on tests of just five pigs, while the findings about cows’ milk were from 43 cows.
Organic seal
With or without labels, consumers have at least one clue they’re not eating cloned meat: The US Department of Agriculture’s green organic seal, given to food produced without pesticides or antibiotics, also means clone-free, according to the agency.
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(Source: Associated Press)