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Cloned Food Last Post 01-04-2007 01:57 PM by Winetex. 9 Replies. | Sort: |
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Eric White 
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts: 9625
 | | 01-03-2007 01:08 AM |
| Someone started this conversation over on the Wine Spectator Forum, and it's a question that I find interesting enough that I'd like to see what folks here think as well. As you've probably read, the FDA appears to be ready to rule that cloned food animals is safe. My view is that they are making the right decision. Here is what I posted over on Wine Spectator: I have been wondering what all the fuss is over this in the news. I guess because of the evil word "clone". I am all for cloned food, and would purchase it without hesitation. Anyone who understands the science behind this would also understand that the animal is genetically absolutely no different than non-cloned food. They simply are taking the cell of an animal, raising the embryo in a lab, and then inserting into a live host mother - creating a normal animal that is genetically identical to the original source.
Now, on the flip side, why would the food industry be interested in doing this? My thought is that the motivation is also a benefit to the consumer - reliable results! Take, for example, grape vine propagation. If you try to propagate vines via seed the results will be useless - you won't be able to realize a reliable, consistent crop of grapes - they'll be all over the map. That's why all grape vines these days are propagated through clippings, grafted onto the rootstock of choice - the vine is genetically identical to the original plant, and thereby produces a predictable and reliable crop. Same thing here - food producers starting with a healthy, excellent animal specimen can guarantee the cloned offspring will be endowed with the same genes, thereby ensuring reliable, predictable, and healthy examples of food animals. No more runt bovines, etc.
IMO, a good thing for the food industry and a good thing for the consumer, if people can get over the irrational fear of the term.And then, in response to a post by Dave Tong, I wrote the following:Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Tong:
What's the point in cloning animals anyway, particularly for breeding stock? Aren't they perfectly capable of breeding on their own?
Of course they capable on their own, but the advantage is as I outlined above - deterministic, reliable outcome. You can predict the cloned offspring with 100% accuracy, ensuring the best possible examples of the animal - and thus higher quality, higher yeild, lower fat, or whatever it is you are after.
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Tong:
If we start breeding from clones we're suddenly looking at a much shallower gene pool.
And therein is my concern over using clones for breeding stock, I'd still like to see this question addressed. If GM were used to insure the offspring were sterile, and then those offspring used only for food production, then I wouldn't see a problem. I'm not sure how the question of interbreeding is addressed if cloning is for the purpose of creating breeding stock, as Vinyrd has suggested - I'm in the dark on this myself.
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Tong:
Cloning animals is a little different from taking a cutting from a grape vine and letting it develop roots and branches.
In what way exactly? In both cases you are propagating identical gene material to ensure a reliable outcome. Sure, cloning is a bit more complicated, but the principle is the same.
Quote:
Originally posted by Dave Tong:
Finally, why aren't people clamouring for proper labelling? The US has ridiculously lax labelling laws as it is - for example no requirement to quote the ABV on beer, labelling products that can contain as much as 5% trans fat as being "trans fat free", etc.
Agreed, the US does have rediculous and often contradictory labelling laws, but what would labelling the product as cloned get you? The product is genetically identical to non-cloned product.
Quote:
Originally posted by Pauly:
We've been cloning plants for centuries with cuttings and I nor any of immediate family have 2 heads (we won't mention the cousins that stayed on the farm). As for GM, all what GM does is speed up selective breeding programs, which humans have been doing for millenia.
Spot on Pauly!
So what say you? | | | 2008: the end of an error |
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Jack Brewer
Grape Stomper
Posts: 169
| | 01-03-2007 03:06 AM |
| "Anyone who understands the science behind this would also understand that the animal is genetically absolutely no different than non-cloned food. "
That we know of yet ... | | | |
| Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts: 9625
| | 01-03-2007 03:21 AM |
| Quote:
That we know of yet ...
We've been able to decode the entire DNA code, do you really believe we can't tell? | | | 2008: the end of an error | |
| Dave Tong
Santa Clara, CA
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1336
| | 01-03-2007 04:10 AM |
| Remind me, how's that first cloned sheep getting on?
I'm not saying it isn't safe. I'm just saying I want to know what I'm eating.
And I'm sure as hell not going to be the first to try it.
I can guarantee you one thing; you will be able to buy meat in Whole Foods
that is guaranteed not to be from cloned stock, but it will cost more. | | | http://scmwine.blogspot.com - My wine blog.<br>http://scmwine.wikispaces.com - your guide to the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley<br> | |
| kpak
Alaska
Wine Bottler
Posts: 3178
| | 01-03-2007 06:52 AM |
| I've had a few meals I wished could've been cloned... | | In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is...
.ps - friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon. | |
| Rothko
Palm Beach
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5724
| | 01-03-2007 02:36 PM |
| I think that the issue of eating cloned animals is going to be short-lived (no pun intended). When food processing technology can "grow" food in factories, there will no longer be a need for raising food stock on a farm.
When we can create steaks from industrial vats of cow muscle, we won't need to waste resources growing the entire cow.
Sounds unappealing, but in reality it shouldn't be. Why should we care if our steak comes from a farm raised cow, or from a factory vat which "grew" the steak? As long as the nutrients used to grow the steak in the factory are acceptable, we shouldn't care. In fact, one could argue it is more humane to grow meat rather than slaughter cows for our rib eyes and filets. | | | |
| Pool Boy
Laurl, MD (DC suburb)
Master of Wine
Posts: 13801
| | 01-03-2007 03:13 PM |
| There is also a thread over on Roguefood as well. I am not a fan of cloned anything or genetically modified anything. It weirds me out. Cloning makes me wonder... Does the livestock get more susceptible to disease or other issues, what without the DNA mutating as each generation comes and goes.... | | | www.roguefood.com -- www.cellartracker.com | |
| JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5251
| | 01-03-2007 06:56 PM |
| It doesn't matter to me if a calf originates from artificial insemination from extracted bull semen, which is how most calves get their start, (and by the way, requires no special labelling on meat packages), or from a cloned cell. Both methods are scientific engineering to a degree. Anyone who believes that calves currently are the product of a romantic evening where a bull buys a cow dinner and puts on a Barry White CD are kidding themselves. There are far too many starving people in this world to put the brakes on animal husbandry methods that hold the promise of increased production. | | | Beta testing a new signature. | |
| TBird
Park Slope, Brooklyn
Master of Wine
Posts: 10205
| | 01-03-2007 07:08 PM |
| Quote:
Anyone who believes that calves currently are the product of a romantic evening where a bull buys a cow dinner and puts on a Barry White CD are kidding themselves.
awwwee man!!! every bull knows the way to F a cow is with MOJO RIB, *not* barry white.    | | | |
| Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts: 11423
| | 01-04-2007 01:57 PM |
| LOL Jimmyv and tbird, falling out of chair...
The idea of eating cloned animals icks me out but probably isn't a health risk. I say probably because it doesn't seem like there has been enough study on the subject. I wonder about an eventual reduction in genetic diversity if the practice becomes widespread. I'll admit it's something I don't know or maybe even want to know about. | | | |
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