The BBC has discovered that a British company, Immutran, has been exporting pigs which contain human genetic material, DNA, for breeding and research.

The Ed Hall Investigates programme on BBC Radio 5 Live reports that ninety-five pigs have been sent to Italy, Holland, Spain, the United States, Japan and Canada.

A cardiac surgeon who's also a partner in Immutran says that such animals could eventually help to meet the worldwide shortage of human organs for transplant.

But other scientists have warned that there's a risk of diseases spreading from pigs to humans.