Cloned Meat: No Thanks
NHK World just gave us the straight dope on why cloned meat is not such a great idea:
Stillbirths is a term that means the animals can't give birth properly, and their offspring dies inside the womb or during the process of giving birth. Claiming that meat from such animals is safe? You eat it, not me. In fact, let the experts eat it, and then we can all study their health and how they feel. I'm sure the experts will volunteer cheerfully: we can even film them as they shout "Oishi!" like the actors do here on TV all the time.
And why are cloned animals often sick or deformed? You can read about the causes of stillbirth on wikipedia, but I warn you, it is not for the weak-at-heart. Neither is this quote from The Yomiuri:
And by the way, meat consumption is never safe for the planet - it requires huge amounts of water and grain to produce meat. Rainforest in the Amazon is being clearcut so farmers can raise cattle, or grow soybeans for feed. Not a very smart way to feed the people on Earth.
Japan's Food Safety Commission, which operates under the Cabinet Office, reached the view that "cloned animal meat is safe to eat" on Thursday, after a panel of experts advised it on the safety of meat from cattle and pigs cloned from skin and other cells. Such food products have yet to be put on the market in Japan, and there are no labelling rules. Oh, and in case you wondered, in January, 2008 the Bush administration's experts also concluded that cloned meat is safe and does not need to be labelled.
Cloning has attracted attention in recent years as an efficient way to produce quality beef and pork. But some consumers are concerned about the safety of products from cloned animals, following many reported cases of stillbirths and newborn deaths.
Stillbirths is a term that means the animals can't give birth properly, and their offspring dies inside the womb or during the process of giving birth. Claiming that meat from such animals is safe? You eat it, not me. In fact, let the experts eat it, and then we can all study their health and how they feel. I'm sure the experts will volunteer cheerfully: we can even film them as they shout "Oishi!" like the actors do here on TV all the time.
And why are cloned animals often sick or deformed? You can read about the causes of stillbirth on wikipedia, but I warn you, it is not for the weak-at-heart. Neither is this quote from The Yomiuri:
While the report acknowledged that fetal death and mortality rates among cloned animals are much higher than non-cloned animals, it said this was because cloned animals with problems tended to die early.
And by the way, meat consumption is never safe for the planet - it requires huge amounts of water and grain to produce meat. Rainforest in the Amazon is being clearcut so farmers can raise cattle, or grow soybeans for feed. Not a very smart way to feed the people on Earth.
Japan's Food Safety Commission, which operates under the Cabinet Office, reached the view that "cloned animal meat is safe to eat" on Thursday, after a panel of experts advised it on the safety of meat from cattle and pigs cloned from skin and other cells. Such food products have yet to be put on the market in Japan, and there are no labelling rules. Oh, and in case you wondered, in January, 2008 the Bush administration's experts also concluded that cloned meat is safe and does not need to be labelled.
Comments
Experts Agree: Giant, Bioengineered Crabs Pose No Threat
visit