FDA Rules That Lab-Grown Meat Is Safe For Human Consumption

On November 16th the U.S. Food and Drug Administration set a new precedent for faux meats, by providing clearance for lab-grown chicken products courtesy of a company called Upside Foods – paving the way for more cell-cultured meats to soon reach the dinner table for Americans.

The FDA had this to say in a press release:

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The world is experiencing a food revolution and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is committed to supporting innovation in the food supply. As an example of that commitment, today we are announcing that we have completed our first pre-market consultation of a human food made from cultured animal cells. 

The agency evaluated the information submitted by UPSIDE Foods as part of a pre-market consultation for their food made from cultured chicken cells and has no further questions at this time about the firm’s safety conclusion.  

Before this food can enter the market, the facility in which it is made also needs to meet applicable U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and FDA requirements. In addition to the FDA’s requirements, including facility registration for the cell culture portion, the manufacturing establishment needs a grant of inspection from USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) for the harvest and post-harvest portions and the product itself requires a USDA mark of inspection. 

The regulation of cell culture technology is being done collaboratively and in close partnership with USDA-FSIS for food made from cultured livestock or poultry cells. Under the March 2019 formal agreement, both agencies agreed to a joint regulatory framework wherein the FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation. The FDA’s approach to regulating products derived from cultured animal cells involves a thorough pre-market consultation process. While this is not considered an approval process, it concludes when all questions relevant to the consultation are resolved. A transition from the FDA to USDA-FSIS oversight will take place during the cell harvest stage. USDA-FSIS will oversee the post-harvest processing and labeling of human food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. This closely coordinated regulatory approach will ensure that cell-cultured products derived from the cell lines of livestock and poultry meet federal regulations and are accurately labeled. Both agencies are working with manufacturers to ensure these products meet all applicable FDA and USDA-FSIS requirements.  

Advancements in cell culture technology are enabling food developers to use animal cells obtained from livestock, poultry, and seafood in the production of food, with these products expected to be ready for the U.S. market in the near future. The FDA’s goal is to support innovation in food technologies while always maintaining as our first priority the safety of the foods available to U.S. consumers. The FDA has extensive experience in food safety assessment across a wide range of food production technologies, including the use of biological systems and biotechnology. The agency is evaluating new substances all the time as industry practices evolve to meet consumer demands and preferences. Food made with cultured animal cells must meet the same stringent requirements, including safety requirements, as all other food regulated by the FDA. 

The FDA is ready to work with additional firms developing cultured animal cell food and production processes to ensure their products are safe and lawful under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. We also plan to issue guidance to assist firms that intend to produce human foods from cultured animal cells to prepare for pre-market consultations. The published draft of this guidance will provide a formal opportunity to the public for comment. We are already engaged in discussion with multiple firms about various types of products made from cultured animal cells, including those made from seafood cells, which will be overseen solely by the FDA. We continue to encourage firms to enter into dialogue with us often and early in their product development phase, well ahead of making any submission to us. 

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Founder and CEO Uma Valeti excitedly announced the FDA’s approval on social media:

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. UPSIDE has received our “No Questions Letter” from the FDA. They’ve accepted our conclusion that our cultivated chicken is safe to eat, meaning UPSIDE is one step closer to being on tables everywhere.

I’ve been looking forward to this day for a long time. UPSIDE has received our "No Questions Letter" from the FDA. They’ve accepted our conclusion that our cultivated chicken is safe to eat, meaning UPSIDE is one step closer to being on tables everywhere. #cultivatedmeat pic.twitter.com/tk4DIF2NSa

— Uma Valeti, MD (@UmaValeti) November 16, 2022

We are thrilled at FDA’s historic announcement that, after a rigorous evaluation, UPSIDE Foods has become the first company in the world to receive the US FDA greenlight for cultivated chicken.

At scale, cultivated meat is projected to use substantially less water and land than conventionally-produced meat.

David Kay, director of communications at Upside Foods, said via email, CNN reported

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AUTHOR COMMENTARY

Getting approval is one thing, Americans eating it is another. Fake meat businesses such as Beyond Meat are currently not doing so well as consumers simply just don’t want their fake slop:

Beyond Meat Continues To Rapidly Lose Sales As Consumers Pass On Fake Meat

Meat Giant JBS Is ‘Pulling The Plug’ On US Plant-Based Meat Division Planterra

Nevertheless, the faux meat industry is something The WinePress has routinely reported on and is rapidly expanding worldwide, playing to the quest of the elites to not eat meats.

[1] Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; [2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

1 Timothy 4:1-3

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[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).

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