US approves lab-grown meat for human consumption

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The US has approved lab-grown meat for human consumption after an inspection by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The approval on Wednesday, November 16 is the first time a meat product produced from cells has been cleared safe to eat.

A press release by the FDA said that UPSIDE Foods, a company that makes cell-cultured chicken by harvesting cells from live animals, was cleared to sell its products in stores.

UPSIDE, which grows the meat in stainless-steel tanks, will be cleared to market the products once the facility had been inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf and Susan Mayne, Director of the FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition said in a statement: “The world is experiencing a food revolution and the (FDA) is committed to supporting innovation in the food supply.”

The statement goes on to say that it had reviewed data from the company and had no further questions about the company’s conclusion that its product is safe for humans to eat.

David Kay, UPSIDE’s Director of Communications, said in an email to Reuters: “We are thrilled at FDA’s announcement.

“This historic step paves the way for our path to market.”

The announcement by the FDA does not clear the product type but rather UPSIDE’s products, they have however, add that they are ready to work with other companies looking to bring similar products to market.

Cell-cultured meat is jointly regulated by the FDA and the USDA under a 2019 agreement between the two, following increasing demand for alternative products.

With world leaders focused on global warming, alternatives to farmed products are becoming an increasingly likely option to meet the world’s food needs.

To bring the issue to the attention of COP27 attendees, cultivated chicken was served to them at this year’s event in Egypt.

Whether many others will follow US and approve lab-grown meat for human consumption is too early to tell, with many still fearing the technology.


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Written by

Peter McLaren-Kennedy

Originally from South Africa, Peter is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for the Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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