Pork, ham, beef and many other types of meat from the offspring of cloned farm animals may soon end up in grocery stores, but a Penn State Food Services director said the university has no plans to serve food from cloned animals on campus.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a preliminary safety risk assessment in December 2006 stating that meat from cloned cattle, pigs and goats is safe to eat. The agency is reviewing public comments on this recommendation before giving final approval, said J. Lynne Brown, professor of food science.
PSU Food Services does not plan to use cloned meat, even if it's approved by the FDA, said Lisa Wandel, associate director of food services.
"At this point Penn State would not consider cloned food in any of its programs," she said. "We have no intentions or desire for it as of now."
Joseph Mendelson, legal director for the Center for Food Safety, which opposes the FDA's recommendation, said it is a good thing Penn State is not considering the use of cloned meat.
"It is important that Penn State doesn't want to take part in this," he said. "It takes a number of attempts to get a successful clone. Often times the cells are deformed, and there are also many animal welfare issues involved."
Selling cloned meat has been an ongoing debate for more than five years, Mendelson said, and the FDA's decision is expected by the end of this year or early next year.
"Cloning is something that is new and we don't talk about daily," Kathleen Hennessy (sophomore-advertising and public relations) said. "Initially, I was creeped out by it, but as cloning becomes more common, I'm sure I'll be fine with eating it."
Brad A. Swezey, of the office of public affairs for the FDA, said the FDA is in the process of updating the cloning risk assessment and reviewing public comments.
Brown said controversy may arise about the use of cloned meat, and more importantly about the fact that the packages are not labeled to show the meat is from the offspring of a clone.
Grocery shoppers will not be able to tell the difference between cloned and regular meat, Mendelson said.
"The analysis the FDA has done indicates that the nutritional content of regular meat and cloned meat is the same," Brown said.
Americans consume meat that has been produced by artificial insemination, Brown said. This meat does not carry a label saying it is from an artificially inseminated animal, she said, and cloning should not be any different.
Mendelson said that after the FDA released the risk assessment that confirmed cloned foods were safe to eat, it received about 130,000 comments from the public. The agency will consider this feedback before making a final decision, he said.
