For the first time, human consumption of meat produced in a laboratory has been authorized in the US
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of chicken produced from cell cultures.
The agency said the process was “very carefully considered”.
The lab-grown chicken was produced by Upside Foods in steel tanks with cells from live animals.
“In an environment where there was a lot of skepticism, today we made history by becoming the first company to receive FDA approval for manufactured meat,” said Uma Valeti, the company’s director.
But the company still has some hurdles to overcome before it can get product on the shelves.
The center where the meat will be produced must also receive official approval.
However, Valeti said this is “a milestone in the history of food”.
There are food start-ups trying to develop similar products. The success of more companies means more carbon emissions and the conservation of water and other resources used in the livestock industry.
35 percent in 2040
Production meats are expected to capture a significant share of the market in the future.
In December 2020, Singapore became the first country to approve the sale of fully lab-produced protein.
Eat Just, an entrepreneurial company based in San Francisco, was able to sell lab-produced chicken meat in Singapore.
Two studies have shown that by 2030, the cost of meat production in the lab will be competitive with normal meat production.
Research by Life Cycle predicts that lab-produced meat will account for 35 percent of the global meat market in 2040.
