Cloned Beef Has Been Eaten in UK – FSA

The Agency has traced two other cows that we believe are being kept as part of dairy herds but at present we cannot confirm whether or not milk from these animals has entered the food chain.

Aug 5 2010 --- The Food Standards Agency is updating on its investigation into reports that products from the offspring of cloned animals have entered the food chain.

While there is no evidence that consuming products from healthy clones, or their offspring, poses a food safety risk, meat and products from clones and their offspring are considered novel foods and would therefore need to be authorised before being placed on the market.

The Agency has traced all of the calves born in the UK from eight embryos harvested from a cloned cow in the US. Four of these embryos resulted in male calves and four were female; all were the Holstein breed of cattle.

The FSA can confirm that meat from a second bull, Parable, has entered the food chain. Parable was born in May 2007 and was slaughtered 5 May 2010. This is in addition to the confirmation given yesterday that meat from another of the bulls, Dundee Paratrooper, entered the food chain in 2009. Meat from both of these animals will have been eaten.

The Agency confirmed yesterday a third bull (Dundee Perfect) was slaughtered on 27 July 2010 and its meat has been prevented from entering the food chain.

The fourth male calf died at about one month old. No meat or products from this young animal entered the food chain and its carcass was disposed of in accordance with the law.

Of the four female cows, Dundee Paradise is alive on a UK dairy farm. Following a visit from local authority officials, the Agency has been informed that there is no evidence milk from this animal has entered the food chain.

The Agency has traced two other cows that we believe are being kept as part of dairy herds but at present we cannot confirm whether or not milk from these animals has entered the food chain. Local authority officials are visiting the farms on which these animals are kept.

The fourth female calf died at less than a month old. No meat or products from this young animal entered the food chain and its carcass was disposed of in accordance with the law.

The Agency has also been working to trace offspring from these eight animals. At present any offspring will be too young to be milked or to be used for breeding purposes. The Agency is reminding farmers with these animals that in order to produce food products from them they will need to seek authorisation under the Novel Food Regulations.