Meat and milk from cloned animals pose no risk to consumers, the official food watchdog of Europe said yesterday. The European Food Safety Authority (Efsa) said that it was “unlikely” that products from cloned pigs and cattle are a threat to food safety. The decision could lead to meat and milk from cloned animals being sold in Britain.

The research, requested by the European Commission, found that the products have the same nutritional value as those from animals bred normally.

“In view of these findings, and assuming that unhealthy clones are removed from entering the food chain, as is the case with conventionally bred animals, it is very unlikely that any difference exists in terms of food safety between food products originating from clones and their progeny compared with those derived from conventionally bred animals,” the draft opinion concludes.

Efsa said that the opinion, which will now be subject to a public consultation, was based on limited data because cloning is a relatively new technology. The research also found that death and disease rates were significantly higher among cloned animals: “The health and welfare of a significant proportion of clones have been found to be adversely affected. The proportion of unhealthy clones is likely to decrease as the technology improves.”

Joyce D’Silva, the ambassador for the charity Compassion in World Farming, said that published research showed about 50 per cent of cloned farm animals died either before birth or within a few weeks of birth, and many were born with malformed lungs, kidneys or essential organs.

She said: “European consumers are becoming ever more conscious of the ethical provenance of the food they buy. One of their main concerns is animal welfare.”

Public responses to the draft opinion can be submitted by February 25. There is no specific authorisation procedure for food products from cloned animals, and Efsa’s decision could open the door to clone farming in Europe.

It could also lead to cloned milk and meat being imported from the United States, where the technique is already used.

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