Regulators in the US have given the greenlight for beef from gene-edited cattle to be used for food following a safety review.

This decision regarding the Slick-Haired Cattle is the FDA’s first time for an international genomic alteration in an animal for food use. The low-risk determination is based on a review of scientific data.

“This decision underscores our commitment to using a risk and science-based, data-driven process that focuses on safety to the animals with intentional genomic alterations and safety to the people who eat the food produced by these animals,” says Steven Solomon, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine.

This determination was provided to Acceligen – specialists in precision breeding. 

Gene altering and molecular technology
IGAs are alterations made using molecular technologies that introduce changes to the genome of an animal. The IGA in these cattle, known as PRLR-SLICK, was introduced using a genome-editing technique known as CRISPR. PRLR refers to mutations in prolactin (PRL) and its receptor (PRLR) cattle.

The IGA can be passed onto offspring, allowing the trait to be shared through conventional breeding. There are conventionally bred cattle with naturally-occurring mutations that result in the same extremely short, slick-hair coat. 

Reports in scientific literature indicate that cattle with this extremely short, slick-hair coat are potentially able to better withstand hot weather. Cattle that are comfortable in their environment are less likely to experience temperature-related stress and may result in improved food production.The IGA in these cattle was introduced using a genome-editing technique known as CRISPR.

The IGA in these cattle was introduced using a genome-editing technique known as CRISPR.

Although PRLR-SLICK cattle have an equivalent trait to those cattle with a naturally-occurring short hair coat, they are not currently in commerce.

In other news, the UK will be relaxing its policy surrounding the science of gene editing. However, the move has been met with some concerns around health and environmental safety.

Low-risk determinations for animals
The FDA has made low-risk determinations for enforcement discretion for many other IGAs in animals for non-food uses. It also approved applications for five IGAs: in groups of goat, chicken, salmon, rabbit and, most recently, in a line of pigs.

“It [the decision] also demonstrates our ability to identify low-risk IGAs that don’t raise concerns about safety, when used for food production,” explains Solomon.

 “We expect that our decision will encourage other developers to bring animal biotechnology products forward for the FDA’s risk determination in this rapidly developing field, paving the way for animals containing low-risk IGAs to more efficiently reach the marketplace.” 

The FDA reviewed genomic data and other information submitted by the product developer confirming that the IGA in genome-edited PRLR-SLICK cattle is equivalent to naturally occurring mutations that have arisen in several breeds of cattle as an adaptation to being raised in tropical or subtropical environments.

The data confirmed that the food from the IGA cattle is the same as food from conventionally bred cattle that have the same slick-hair trait.