The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reviewed the latest research on animal clones and their products, and has concluded there is no reason at present to suspect the safety of meat and milk from cloned animals.
The EFSA has published a scientific statement upon request from the European Commission that takes into consideration the latest research on animal clones and their offspring for food production purposes. Following the Authority’s call for data and discussions with experts in the field, EFSA reconfirms findings from its previous work. With respect to food safety, there are no indications that differences exist between food products derived from healthy clones or their offspring – in particular milk and meat – from those of healthy, conventionally bred animals. Nevertheless, the Authority recognises that animal health and welfare concerns continue to be associated with this technology.
EFSA’s latest statement on animal cloning concurs that no new scientific information has become available since its previous 2010 statement that would require reconsideration of the Authority’s earlier conclusions and recommendations. Moreover, new scientific information supports previous findings that:
EFSA’s statement also provides information on the current efficiency of cloning in comparison to assisted reproductive technologies using in vitro embryos.