A decision by US authorities to allow the sale of cultivated meat has been welcomed by a North East company which is pioneering work in the area.
The American Department of Agriculture and the country’s Food and Drug Administration this week granted approval for two companies, Upside Foods and Eat Just, to sell cultivated chicken products to US consumers. Cultivated meat is grown in the laboratory from animal cells but aims to produce food that does not involve the rearing and killing of animals.
Newcastle firm 3D Bio Tissues is one of the leading UK firms working in the sector, having earlier this year produced what it believed to be the world’s first cultivated steak fillet. The firm is also hoping to produce laboratory-grown leather for use in shoes and other clothing.
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Through its owner BSF Enterprise, the Newcastle University spin-off said that approval to sell cultivated meat in one of the biggest markets in the world paves the way for full commercialisation of its products.
Che Connon, CEO of 3D Bio Tissues, said: “This announcement marks a monumental milestone in the development of the Cultivated Meat industry. The US Government approval provides access to both Upside Foods’ and Eat Just’s sustainable and ethical meat products in a country that is one of the world’s biggest meat consumers.
“US regulations for food safety are some of the most stringent in the world. Today’s approval will pave the way for the Government approval for other producers of cultivated meat in the US, including companies that 3D Bio Tissues is looking to partner with and provide our patented serum-free and animal-free cell booster City-MixTM to help scale up cultivated meat production.
“This decision has the potential to rapidly accelerate the development of the Cultivated Meat market in America and provides a clear framework for other countries to also follow.”
3D Bio Tissues, which was one of the winners at this year’s North East Innovation Awards, raised £2.9m from shareholders earlier this year to progress its work. It is based at the Helix science and business development close to Newcastle city centre.
