Brussels, 14/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), asked by the European Commission for its opinion, has, with some reservations, delivered a favourable preliminary scientific opinion on foodstuffs from cloned animals. Its final opinion will be delivered on 8 May.
The publication, on 11 January, of the provisional opinion on the implications of cloning for food safety, animal health and welfare, and the environment marks the start of a public consultation exercise organised by EFSA to find out the points of view of as many persons and groups as possible.
At this stage, EFSA says that: - although death and disease rates among cloned animals are significantly higher than among conventionally reproduced animals, healthy clones and their offspring do not show any significant differences from their conventional counterparts; - while the health and welfare of a significant proportion of cloned animals have suffered from cloning, the proportion of unhealthy clones will probably fall as cloning techniques improve; - food products (like meat and milk) from healthy cloned cattle and pigs and their offspring do not show any significant differences from conventionally reared animals. On the basis of these data, and on condition that unhealthy clones are removed from entering the food chain - as is required for conventionally produced animals - it is very unlikely that there will be any difference in terms of food safety between food products from clones and those from conventionally farmed animals; - no effect on the environment is expected, but data is limited. (A.N.)