Meat and milk from cloned cattle and their offspring are safe to consume, independent scientists have said.

In the US, South America and Asia, farmers can breed from cloned cows, sheep and pigs in order to increase milk and meat production. However, farmers in Europe who want to introduce the products of cloned animals into the food chain require specific authorization.

According to a Soil Association spokeswoman, "not only does cloning have a negative impact on animal welfare, we also have no long-term evidence for the impacts on health."

(Source: Cloned cattle food safe to eat, say scientists [BBC])