Was the FDA Right to Approve Cloned Meat?

news you may not knowThe XK72-yz89b Cheeseburger...

Imagine... Yes, it's the middle of winter. That's why it takes just a bit of imagination to picture yourself out on the patio, a soothing spring breeze rustling newly sprouted leaves, a hot fire on the grill, the perfect burger...

The perfect burger?

That's the rub. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of cloned meats from cattle, swine, and goats. So, in theory at least, once you find that once-in-a-lifetime burger you can make it an everyday treat. Just head on down to your local Clones "R" Us and reorder a supply of the XK72-yz89b extra lean ground beef - perfection packaged to go.

Is this really a good idea?

The FDA says so. They reviewed vitamin, mineral, and protein levels from 600 cloned animals. They found no abnormalities and concluded cloned meats are as safe to eat as are the one of a kind varieties we've previously consumed.

But...

Some folks disagree. Surveys have shown that a majority of Americans would not buy cloned meats. They're not alone in their concerns. One of the biggest critics is the Center for Food Safety, a non-profit public advocacy group. It claims the FDA's assessment was lacking and calls for more rigorous testing prior to approval.

Dr. Michael Hansen, Senior Staff Scientist for Consumers Union agrees: "The FDA risk assessment ignored the fact that most clones never make it to adulthood because they die in gestation or shortly after birth, and also failed to consider whether clones might need more drug treatments."

The perfect burger? Well - maybe a nice batch of chicken wings would hit the spot...

To read more about the FDA's decision, see this from Reuters. To read more about the objections to cloned meats, including a link to their full report protesting the decision, see this from the Center for Food Safety.