Grown Not Raised: The Lab Meat Revolution
A few years from now, lab-grown meat might be sold in the UK, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA). A total of fifteen applications are anticipated in the next two years for cell-cultivated foods such foie gras, steak, and chicken.????
?
To develop a safety assessment process for these novel foods, the FSA received ￡1.6 million as government funding. Due to its high number of vegans, vegetarians, and flexitarians along with greater window to new foods compared to many other European nations, positions the UK as a promising market.?
?
Without the need for raising or slaughtering livestock the cultivated meat is produced by growing animal cells. The cultivated sale of steak was recently approved in Israel while Singapore approved the sale of cultivated chicken in 2020 followed by the US in 2023. The method of meat production is more sustainable while addressing animal welfare concerns as it requires less water and land.?
?
However, ensuring the safety of cultivated meat remains crucial. The cells used in lab-grown meat are the same as those in traditional meat although the production process remains fundamentally stated Prof. Robin May, the FSA's chief scientific adviser. Questions about the safety of the growing conditions employed, as well as any potential genetic modifications in the cells, must be answered before the final product is released to the public.
?
The FSA’s project will take almost two years to establish safety assessment criteria which includes consultation with industry players and experts. The goal is to streamline the approval process to take around two years for suture submissions although the new applications are currently being analysed. The UK has an advantage in evaluating these products through drawing on established techniques used in cell cultivated medicines.?
?
It is believed by proponents of cultivated meat that it is much safer than produced meat as it reduces the risk of pathogen infections such as salmonella and E.coli. The Good Food Institute Europe has advocated for more long-term financing for the FSA to ensure that rigorous risk assessments can be performed on time.
?
While the UK has welcomed grown meat, some countries, like Italy and certain US states, have outlawed it, highlighting ongoing disagreements regarding its acceptability.