The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the first time has cleared a cell-cultured meat product for human consumption, the agency announced Wednesday.
Upside Foods, which makes cell-cultured chicken from live animal cells to grow meat in tanks, will now be allowed to bring its product to market once it has been inspected by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the FDA said.
"The world is experiencing a food revolution and the (FDA) is committed to supporting innovation in the food supply," said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.
The review applies only to Upside products, though the agency said it is ready to work with other firms developing cultured animal cell food.
USDA and FDA together regulate cell-cultured meat under a 2019 agreement between the two agencies. The USDA oversees the processing and labeling of cell-cultured meat products.
What about seafood?
Development of cell-cultured seafood products, including salmon scallops, tuna and more, is underway around the world.
Investments in alternative seafood products nearly doubled in 2021 over levels the year before, according to Good Food Institute.
A total of $175 million (€162 million) was invested in companies producing or planning to produce seafood made from plant material, grown from cells or produced using a fermentation process. The investment reflects a 92 percent increase from the $91 million (€84.3 million) invested in the sector in 2020.
