Science US agrees to sell lab-grown meat for the first time

US authorities have approved the sale of laboratory-grown meat from cell cultures for the first time. The US Department of Agriculture confirmed Wednesday that Startups Upside Foods and Good Meat have received a license to sell lab-grown chicken. This is the first of its kind in the United States.

“This approval will fundamentally change how we put meat on our table,” said Upside Foods founder and chef Uma Valeti. “It’s a big step towards a more sustainable future – a future that sustains choice and life.”

Good Meat president Josh Tetrick said his company has been the only company in the world selling lab-grown meat since it was approved in Singapore in 2020. “And now it’s licensed to sell to consumers in the world’s largest economy.”

Upside Foods has already received its first order from French chef Dominique Crenn’s Bar Crenn’s restaurant in San Francisco, California. Good Meat, in turn, is producing the first production of star Spanish chef José Andrés, who runs several restaurants in Washington, D.C., among other places.

Environmental compatibility is not clear

Cell cultured lab meat provides animal protein without the hassle associated with factory farming and animal killing. It should not be confused with plant-based alternatives such as soy burgers, which mimic the taste and texture of meat but contain no animal protein.

Global meat consumption is seen as a driver of climate change – primarily because of the huge amount of land used for factory farming and associated methane emissions, among other things. Industrially produced meat from a lab, also called lab-grown meat, should address this, according to proponents.

However, critics claim that laboratory meat production requires huge amounts of energy. So they are wondering if lab meat is more environmentally friendly than conventional meat.