Global Approval for Cultivated Beef Signals Industry Growth
Another breakthrough for the future of cultured meat: Aleph Farms in Israel becomes the third company in the world to win approval for cultivated meat[1], making it the first company to get approval for cultivated beef. Overall, this sets a precedent, potentially accelerating the global reach of cultured meat. While challenges remain in production scale-up, this approval signals a promising future for cultivated meat. Cultivated chicken has been in the market in Singapore for the past few years. Even though cultivated chicken was approved in the US last year, we have yet to see the products in the market.
Aleph Farms is working on clearance from Singapore and the US and may get that green signal soon. Since Aleph Farms filed its application for regulatory approval in Israel, the UK is set to fast-track its approval of cultivated meat as a part of the bilateral agreement with Israel[2]. The view of the Food Standards Agency- the body handling the authorization in the UK- might change the perspective of the EU on cultivated meat. Approval from Switzerland (which Aleph Farms is working on now) may also influence the EU's thought process. Anyways, 2024 will be a remarkable time for the cultivated meat industry.
If Aleph Farms could achieve price parity with premium beef (as they claim it could in coming years), cultivated meat could become more appealing to customers. In a webinar organized by the Joint Institute of Food Science and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) yesterday, participants raised one of the main questions about the cost of these products.
We at Merieux Nutrisciences constantly monitor industry developments and evaluate analytical method gaps. We recognize the need for reference materials and methods to support this novel industry, comparing "beef to beef" or "chickens to chicken."
Collaborating with AOAC International and other stakeholders, we are on a path to develop robust analytical tools to support the industry in every stage of its product development.
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References
[1] https://aleph-farms.com/journals/aleph-farms-granted-worlds-first-regulatory-
approval-for-cultivated-beef/
[2] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/29/uk-lab-grown-meat-fast-track-
approval-israel-deal/
[3] https://www.mwaoac.org/
[4] https://www.aoac.org/2024-midyear-meeting/
[5] https://www.aoac.org/2024-annual-meeting-exposition/