FDA: Cloned food need not be labeled

[jjzelinski]

Exactly what do we expect to affect us with cloned meat? Are we worried about a genetic mutation that might make cow meat taste like chicken? Maybe it will become like the toxic avenger and gross people out. It's meat. From an animal.

Here's a completely deranged analogy, if we were cannibals would you avoid eating meat from retarded folks or midgets? Meat it meat!

 

[ericlp]

Screw you guys. Don't eat it! I'll friggen eat it! More T-bones please!


I'll be loading them up on the BarBQ... Sorry I think it's safe.

 

[Siddhartha]

never mind

 

[1EZduzit]

Originally posted by: jjzelinski
Exactly what do we expect to affect us with cloned meat? Are we worried about a genetic mutation that might make cow meat taste like chicken? Maybe it will become like the toxic avenger and gross people out. It's meat. From an animal.

Here's a completely deranged analogy, if we were cannibals would you avoid eating meat from retarded folks or midgets? Meat it meat!

I guess to be safe we better not eat any animals that are twins either.

 

[misle]

Originally posted by: tweaker2
example: right here in hawaii we have the college of agriculture at the university of hawaii pumping graduates into those businesses that experiment with genetically modified foods.

these are the same people that end up populating those municipal regulatory agencies that oversee these types of businesses.

these are the very same people, who, while supposedly representing the interests of the public, literally leap to the defense of those industries at the slightest hint of any negative publicity directed their way.

Would you rather have uneducated fear mongers regulating those types of businesses?

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic
There are reasons to be concerned about animal cloning/GM, but food safety is not one of them.

Who are you, Agatha Christie? Enough with the mystery, what are these "concerns" we should have with animal cloning and GM? I mean, these animals are basically raised for me to eat...I'm having a hard time figuring out a concern I should have beyond food safety.

Sorry, I was referring to that "tinkering with nature" thing. Only a tiny minority of plant and animal species are actually suitable for human consumption, and it would be a shame if we accidentally wiped one out while experimenting with things we don't yet understand. That's all.

Ah, I see what you're saying. Of course there are dangers, but that's true in any area of scientific discovery. Managing risks is part of the process, but I don't think it's a good idea to ignore potential areas of research and development because there are possible issues we need to watch out for. Cloning and genetic engineering have the potential to bring huge benefits to humanity. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful, but I DO think it means it's worth taking the risk.

What would also help is if people educated themselves about a topic before going on a rant in ignorance. If an animal is genetically identical then the biochemical products (proteins etc) MUST be identical. That's just how the laws of the universe work.

I seem to see a lot of confusion about cloning. Straight cloning produces a twin of the original. Genetic engineering is another thing entirely. If someone has a prize animal and clones it, I have no problem eating it. If someone manipulates the genome, then I would want to know just what's happening. Vic has alluded to some concerns besides safety. Cows aren't likely to wander off, however something like corn which grows in a field and spews pollen over a huge area bothers me if it were genetically highly manipulated.

As far as the FDA, yes it bows to pressure from lobbyists, but the real concern regarding any regulation of any highly technical field is that people who are educated and well intentioned cannot be expected to be experts in all fields. Politicians and bureaucrats aren't usually molecular geneticists and physicians and toxicologists, etc, and therefore have to rely on people who may or may not have a particular agenda. I see this problem getting worse as the total sum of human knowledge increases and becomes even more abstruse. That's something that really needs to be done, a reformation of regulation with this problem in mind.

 

[lozina]

The common misconception is that the cloned animal is some perfect copy of the original, when it is NOT.

http://www.genomenewsnetwork.o...icles/09_02/cloned.php

In the present study, Jaenisch's team found that aberrant gene expression is much more widespread than originally suspected. Using a special technique called DNA microarray analysis, in which large numbers of genes are examined on a gene chip, the researchers were able to measure the functioning of more than 10,000 genes in cells from cloned mice.

The result was clear differences in how genes functioned in the cloned cells. In placental cells, more than 200 genes were more or less active compared to normal embryos. The same was true for dozens of genes in liver cells.

Given all the errors in gene expression, Jaenisch says it is amazing the embryos even survive to birth. "There is a fair amount of tolerance to incorrect gene expression. But development is like a symphony," he says. "Everyone has to play correctly for the symphony to sound perfect. You can make a lot of mistakes and the symphony will go on, but it will sound awful."

The FDA rushed to judgment here, probably under pressure from special interest groups. Their research simply measured the amount of protein, amino acids, vitamins all the building blocks of life forms and compared quantities to determine the cloned material was the same. But what the hell does that really prove?

I can take a Lexus and a pile of tires, shards of glass, a stack of sheet metal- weigh each component and then say the Lexus is the same thing as the pile of loose parts therefore it is safe to drive the pile of loose parts. That is in effect what the FDA did.

edit: And just to be clear, I have absolutely no qualms about cloning in principle. I support cloning research and I believe in the future it will help us. But we can't rush to accept things so quickly without being more careful, especially when it comes to our food supply.

 

[pinktank]

Thanks lozina, I was goint to mention that as well, I'm fine with cloning but I wan't things labeled until I get a research done by a trusted institue (hint: not FDA!)

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: child of wonder

Originally posted by: Fern

Originally posted by: PC Surgeon
FDA: Cloned Animals Safe For Consumption

I personally wouldn't eat that crap if it was labeled. They say you can't taste the difference, but to me it wouldn't matter. I still think a label should be mandatory to keep track of related illnesses and diseases. What do you think?

Agreed.

Plus, I heard the FDA test was a "look see" test. Meaning if the animal appeared to look normal it was OK. No real testing was done.

I don't want any cloned crap. I don't want to be a "beta" tester for the FDA.

Fern

The news says differently. The FDA fed cloned meat to animals and watched them under close scrutiny for months. They also tested the meat to ensure it had the same nutrients and proteins.

We're are hearing different news stories then.

What does "watchung them under close scrutiny" mean exactly? Kinda sounds like the "look see" test I mentioned above.

Testing for "the same nutrients & proteins" doesn't sound impressive at all to me.

IIRC, the FDA approved the manner of feeding cattle that eventually brought us mad cow disease. Like I said, I don't wanna be a beta tester for the FDA.

Fern

 

[Arglebargle]

The major food industries are never interested in labeling that will give consumers choice to possibly say 'no thanks'.

Cloned meat probably isn't bad for you. Though I doubt the indepth research has been done. Too much money riding on it, so..... out it goes. For that very reason, you won't see labeling on the meat. Personally, I think anyone should have the info they want about the food they ingest. If they want to nix it for some crackpot reason....fine.

But the food additive industry is the mad scientist of the modern world. They make sure it won't kill you immediately, and that is good enough for them to okay putting it into your food. If it saves them a quarter of a penny per unit.

I am sure they will apologize if they make a mistake. After they make sure there is a law on the books absolving themselves of liability.

 

[IGBT]

..most of you's guys eat fast food grunge and you care about this??

 

[LumbergTech]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
The people must not be allowed to chose their food on the basis of hysteria and bad science. They have no right and only screw everything up. You God Damned stupid bastards are going to stay in a flock.

that pretty much sums it up.....so much for free market..we aren't even allowed to know what the product we buy is..unless we just dont buy anything

 

[LumbergTech]

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic
There are reasons to be concerned about animal cloning/GM, but food safety is not one of them.

Who are you, Agatha Christie? Enough with the mystery, what are these "concerns" we should have with animal cloning and GM? I mean, these animals are basically raised for me to eat...I'm having a hard time figuring out a concern I should have beyond food safety.

Sorry, I was referring to that "tinkering with nature" thing. Only a tiny minority of plant and animal species are actually suitable for human consumption, and it would be a shame if we accidentally wiped one out while experimenting with things we don't yet understand. That's all.

Ah, I see what you're saying. Of course there are dangers, but that's true in any area of scientific discovery. Managing risks is part of the process, but I don't think it's a good idea to ignore potential areas of research and development because there are possible issues we need to watch out for. Cloning and genetic engineering have the potential to bring huge benefits to humanity. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful, but I DO think it means it's worth taking the risk.

you seem to think that people dont have the right to reject it because of the benefits you perceive

 

[EXman]

Originally posted by: pinktank
fda also make non-growth hormone dairy farmers to label their products to say there is no difference. The us is one of the only countries in the world that allows the hormones

All europe does not allow it canicinogenic....

ewww

 

[kylebisme]

Originally posted by: LumbergTech

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Rainsford

Originally posted by: Vic
There are reasons to be concerned about animal cloning/GM, but food safety is not one of them.

Who are you, Agatha Christie? Enough with the mystery, what are these "concerns" we should have with animal cloning and GM? I mean, these animals are basically raised for me to eat...I'm having a hard time figuring out a concern I should have beyond food safety.

Sorry, I was referring to that "tinkering with nature" thing. Only a tiny minority of plant and animal species are actually suitable for human consumption, and it would be a shame if we accidentally wiped one out while experimenting with things we don't yet understand. That's all.

Ah, I see what you're saying. Of course there are dangers, but that's true in any area of scientific discovery. Managing risks is part of the process, but I don't think it's a good idea to ignore potential areas of research and development because there are possible issues we need to watch out for. Cloning and genetic engineering have the potential to bring huge benefits to humanity. That doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful, but I DO think it means it's worth taking the risk.

you seem to think that people dont have the right to reject it because of the benefits you perceive

You obviously misunderstood his comments.

 

[NoStateofMind]

A label to me gives us consumers some way of tracking possible new diseases/sicknesses that may arise from said clones. Now as others have mentioned, the FDA is far from spotless. I think it should be the consumers right to know what they are eating and a choice in whether to eat it. As it stands now we will be eating cloned food without knowing it. What happens if in the unlikely/unfortunate situation people start getting sick or a new disease pops up? How would we track it? Know where it came from? All I ask is for a label, thats not much to ask for if you ask me.

Good to be back, some RAM problems! :|

 

[Jeff7]

Originally posted by: tenshodo13
Nah. Telomere Length. W-e don't really know why cloned animals have varying telomere lengths, but its not a disease or anything.

I personally think that eating cloned anials is fine. Its basically the exact same as a normal cow.

Though, I think they should probably label it, just to appease the people who believe that cloning is the sign of the apocolypse.

And I'm sure it'll all get dissolved just fine by our digestive systems. It's not like we're slowly going to integrate faulty cow genes into our own DNA by eating them.

Originally posted by: Brainonska511
If I remember what was said in my bio class last quarter, cloned animals have the telomere lengths of the parent animal at the time of DNA extraction; meaning that the telomere lengths at the end of the DNA strands is going to be shorter than those of a newborn animal (that isn't cloned). Hence, clones die off sooner because they essentially have DNA that is as old as the parent animal (so the short telomere repeats of the clone lead to cuts in critical genes sooner than a pure-bread newborn, which would have the appropriate length repeats).

Damn, they should do this to the cheese genome - clone cheese, and it's pre-aged from birth.:laugh:

 

[blackangst1]

I cant help but think of the movie I Am Legend when I read about this. Extreme, yes. But the point being, we assume we know everything there is to know. THAT is foolish.

 

[CallMeJoe]

I don't see a problem with requiring labeling of any cloned animal or GM product. Why should people not be allowed to choose?

On a side note; when asked about cloned milk and meat on Bill Maher's show, Trace Adkins had a beautifully pithy reply: "Did cows stop fvcking?"

 

[NoStateofMind]

Originally posted by: blackangst1
I cant help but think of the movie I Am Legend when I read about this. Extreme, yes. But the point being, we assume we know everything there is to know. THAT is foolish.

Agreed 100%. Simple precautions is all I ask. A stinkin' 1 cent imported "cloned" sticker I would be willing to pay extra for.

 

[XMan]

LOL.

Cloned meat bad, fetal stem cells good?

Strange.

 

[blackangst1]

Originally posted by: XMan
LOL.

Cloned meat bad, fetal stem cells good?

Strange.

I personally think both are bad. But Im usually in the minority *shrug*