Meat From Genetically Modified Cattle Could Be On Market In A Few Years.

The US Food and Drug Administration determined that the animals offer no safety hazards, clearing the way for the sale of gene-edited cattle beef in the coming years.

FREMONT, CA: After the Food and Drug Administration found that the animals do not pose any safety risks, US regulators cleared the way for the sale of beef from gene-edited cattle in the coming years. Recombinetics' cattle such as salmon and pigs, are the third genetically modified animals that are approved for human consumption in the United States. Many additional foods contain genetically modified components derived from crops such as soybeans and corn.

The cattle examined by the FDA had their genes edited using CRISPR technology to give them short, smooth coats that allowed them to survive better in hot conditions. Heat-resistant cattle may gain weight more quickly, resulting in more efficient meat production. The company did not disclose when the meat will be available to home cooks or restaurants, but the FDA said it may be available in as little as two years. The cattle, unlike the salmon and pigs, did not have to go through a lengthy approval process. The cattle were exempted, according to the FDA, because their genetic makeup is comparable to that of other cattle and the feature can be found naturally in some breeds.

Dr Steven Solomon, the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine Director, stated that the agency's evaluation of Recombinetics' cattle took many months. Although there is no reason on why meat from the animals or their offspring should be labeled differently. A genetically changed animal promoted as having a unique advantage, such as a higher-than-normal ability to resist heat might need to go through the entire regulatory procedure. As the Recombinetics' cattle's gene-edited feature can be handed down, their sperm and embryos might be utilized to make children with the same shorter coats. Recombinetics said in a statement that the trait will help to make beef production more sustainable and increase animal wellbeing in warmer climes.