November 26 - Produce from cloned cattle 'safe'

The conclusion could bring food safety authorities a step closer to giving the green light for shops to sell foodstuffs from cloned animals.

The controversial practice of using the embryos of cloned animals to breed livestock came under the spotlight in August when it emerged milk and meat from the offspring of cloned cows had reached shops in the UK.

But the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes said there was no evidence of any differences between produce from cloned animals and that from conventionally-bred cattle.

Andrew Wadge, chief scientist at the Food Standards Agency, said: "In considering this hypothetical application, the ACNFP has confirmed that meat and milk from cloned cattle and their offspring shows no substantial difference to conventionally produced meat and milk and therefore is unlikely to present a food safety risk."

Members concluded any potential differences between cloned animals and conventional animals was unlikely to exist beyond the second generation.