Investigation continues on offspring of cloned animals entering UK food chain

The Food Standards Agency has been investigating reports that products from the offspring of cloned animals have entered the UK food chain.

The Agency's investigation has involved, among others, farming organisations, the dairy industry, local authorities and breed associations.

The Agency has traced two bulls born in the UK from embryos harvested from a cloned cow in the US. Both of these bulls have been slaughtered. The first, Dundee Paratrooper, was born in December 2006 and was slaughtered in July 2009. Meat from this animal entered the food chain and will have been eaten.

And the Dundee Perfect was born in March 2007 and was slaughtered on 27 July 2010. Meat from this animal has been stopped from entering the food chain.

The Agency is continuing its work on tracing the offspring of clones claimed to produce milk for the UK dairy industry. The FSA said they have traced a single animal, Dundee Paradise, which is believed to be part of a dairy herd but at present they cannot confirm that milk from this animal has entered the food chain. As part of this investigation local authority officials are visiting the farm on which this herd is kept.

As a result of this the FSA would like to remind food business operators of their responsibility to ensure food they produce is compliant with the law.

In order to produce food products from clones or their offspring, a food application must be submitted and authorisation granted at a European level before any such food is placed on the market. The penalty for failing to comply with the Novel Foods Regulations is a fine of up to £5,000.

Anyone with information relevant to our investigation should contact the FSA on: foodincidents@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Words: Maria Bracken

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