Cultivated chicken, companies, Upside Foods and Good Meat, has gotten the approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to start producing lab-grown meat, the companies announced on Wednesday.
Good Meat, which is owned by plant-based egg substitute maker, Eat Just, said that production of cultivated meat, which is grown in giant vat, is starting immediately.
Good Meat and Upside Foods have received approval last week for approval for labels for its product from the USDA, while Good Meat received a “no questions” letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March.
The FDA’s letter to Good Meat stated that the it is satisfied with the product’s safety to be sold in the US, it also sent a similar letter to Upside Foods in November.
The approval is a grant of inspection issued by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), applicants for the grant are approved after a strict process, including assessing the company’s food safety system, said an FSIS spokesperson.
“This announcement that we’re now able to produce and sell cultivated meat in the United States is a major moment for our company, the industry and the food system,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of Good Meat and Eat Just.
The approval is a giant step towards a more sustainable future, and will change how meat makes it to people’s table fundamentally, said Upside Foods founder and CEO, Uma Valeti.
Good Meat, which has been selling its products in Singapore, has partnered with chef José Andrés to bring their product to a Washington restaurant, and is working on a launch with his team, while also considering partnering with other restaurants.
Upside Foods is also planning to introduce its product at Bar Crenn, a San Francisco restaurant, and is planning to work with other restaurants and make its products available in supermarkets.
Supporters of the approval have hopes that cultivated meat helps with the fight against climate change by reducing the need for traditional animal agriculture, which emits greenhouse gases.
