DuBreton responds to Health Canada's approval of gene-edited meat

DuBreton, a Canadian organic pork producer, has released a statement regarding Health Canada's recent decision to approve the use of gene-edited meat in the Canadian food system without mandatory labelling requirements.

This decision follows Health Canada’s notice to pause its proposed update to the novel food policy governing foods derived from cloned cattle and swine.

READ: DuBreton responds to Health Canada's pause on cloned-animal novel food policy

"Canadians have been very clear about their concerns surrounding gene edited meat in their food supply," said Vincent Breton, president, duBreton, in a press release. "Approving gene-edited meat without labelling ignores those concerns. Proper labelling gives people the information they need to make informed choices about the meat they eat. Anything less is misleading."

READ: Transparency is paramount as gene-edited pork approaches market launch

In response to the approval, duBreton has announced that it will voluntarily label select products with a new claim: 'Verified No Cloning or Gene Editing'. These labels are currently undergoing regulatory review and will enter the market following oversight approval.

In a statement, DuBreton notes it called on the Minister of Health, Marjorie Michel, and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Heath MacDonald, to "immediately establish mandatory labelling for all gene-edited foods."