The FDA today declared that food (meat, milk) from cloned animals is safe to eat, despite the major flaw of being a little weird to some people. It also might not have to be labeled, though the final decision on that is some time forthcoming.
"The bottom line is, we don't want to misinform consumers with some sort of implied message of difference," Glenn said. "There is no difference. These foods are as safe as foods from animals that are raised conventionally."I am excited. Or rather, unmoved - could care less. Much less, in fact.
Of course, there are some detractors:
Carol Tucker Foreman, director of food policy at the Consumer Federation of America, said the FDA is ignoring research that shows cloning results in more deaths and deformed animals than other reproductive technologies.But psh! What does she know? Besides, most of the food itself would come from the offspring of the cloned livestock. The cloning is simply a way to keep desirable traits (fast-fattening, full of milk) in the breeding pool. (Yes, I am fully aware this doesn’t refute her claim. Too bad.)
Think of it this way: Wouldn’t the world be a much prettier, happier place if we were all children of an infinite number of clones of Heidi Klum and Seal?
I, for one, can’t wait to taste my first cloned steak (but not genetically altered one bit - which is an improvement over current meat). Of course, if the food’s not labeled, I will never know. And neither will you. So who cares either way, really?
