In a groundbreaking achievement for the future of food technology, UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat, key players in lab-grown meat, poultry, and seafood production, announced the successful conclusion of their pre-market regulatory review processes. The companies have obtained Grants of Inspection (GOIs) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for their cultivated chicken products. Following the USDA’s approval of their product labels, these trailblazing firms are set to embark on commercial production in the U.S., marking a historic milestone for the lab-grown meat industry and paving the way for a more humane, sustainable, and resilient food system.
UPSIDE Foods, renowned for its commitment to USDA regulations concerning food safety and product labeling, made headlines in 2022 as the first company worldwide to secure U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for lab-grown meat. Its cultivated chicken, produced directly from animal cells, is subject to the same stringent inspections and safety standards as traditional poultry.
With the recent GOI and label approval, the company is ready to commence commercial production at its Engineering, Production, and Innovation Center (EPIC). Dr. Uma Valeti, UPSIDE Foods’ CEO and founder, hailed this development as a game-changer for the lab-grown meat sector. She said, “This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table. It’s a giant step towards a more sustainable future that preserves choice and life.”
Joining the transformative wave, GOOD Meat, the lab-grown meat division of food technology firm Eat Just, Inc., also confirmed USDA approval for interstate commerce of its cultivated chicken. This follows a milestone in March when the FDA acknowledged the product’s safety, enabling USDA to initiate its part of the regulatory process.
“We appreciate the rigor and thoughtfulness that both the FDA and USDA have applied during this historic two-agency regulatory process,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of GOOD Meat and Eat Just, marking the occasion as a milestone for the industry and food system.
To celebrate this achievement, renowned chefs Dominique Crenn and José Andrés have placed the first commercial orders for UPSIDE’s and GOOD Meat’s lab-grown chicken, respectively. Crenn, a Three-Michelin-star chef, will introduce the product at Bar Crenn in San Francisco, while Andrés plans to serve GOOD Meat’s chicken at an undisclosed restaurant in Washington, D.C.
Both companies are embarking on strategic marketing initiatives, with UPSIDE Foods announcing a social media contest offering consumers the chance to be among the first to sample its lab-grown chicken. GOOD Meat, on the other hand, has already featured its product on menus at various fine dining establishments and delivery platforms, following multiple regulatory approvals in Singapore.
Both UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat have praised the robust review processes of the FDA and USDA. Eric Schulze, Ph.D., VP of Global and Scientific Affairs at UPSIDE Foods, stated, “We are grateful for the FDA’s and USDA’s thoughtful and rigorous review processes, which have enabled us to start bringing safe, delicious, and high-quality lab-grown meat products to market in the U.S.”
These groundbreaking approvals highlight the emerging acceptance of lab-grown meat products and underscore the potential of this innovative technology to reshape the food industry. With milestones such as the FDA’s first-ever approval for lab-grown meat and a $400M Series C funding round valuing UPSIDE Foods at over $1 billion, the future of lab-grown meat looks promising.
Image provided by UPSIDE Foods
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