The UK has become the first European country to approve lab-grown meat for pet food. Regulators have greenlit the use of chicken cultivated from animal cells, with lab meat company Meatly planning to introduce this innovative product to manufacturers.
Meatly’s CEO, Owen Ensor, says the first samples of their cultivated chicken are expected to be available later this year, with plans to scale up production to industrial volumes within the next three years. Despite this progress, no applications for cell-cultivated products for human consumption have been approved in Great Britain.
Source: meatly
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has welcomed this development, emphasising their commitment to closely monitoring any new products entering the market. While lab-grown meat has its advocates, who highlight its environmental and animal welfare benefits, it also faces criticism for being expensive and potentially disruptive to traditional farming.
Global investment in the cultivated meat sector saw a significant decline in 2023, according to a report by the Good Food Institute. The long-term future of lab-grown meat remains uncertain, and it is unclear how much impact it will have on the pet food market. This year alone, British supermarkets have sold 1.2 billion packs of pet food, based on data from research firm Kantar.
Owen Ensor is optimism about the potential of lab-grown meat for pets. "Pet parents are crying out for a better way to feed their cats and dogs meat. We're so excited to meet this demand. Owners can soon give their pets the real meat they need and crave, in a way that is kinder to our planet and other animals.”
Since the debut of the first lab-grown burger in 2013, which cost over £250,000, numerous companies worldwide have joined the race to make affordable cultivated meat available for both humans and pets.
Source: meatly
Unlike plant-based substitutes, cultivated meat is derived directly from animal cells, which are grown in bioreactors and then processed into edible products.
Studies have shown shifting to lab-grown meat could reduce carbon emissions, conserve water, and free up land for nature.
While Singapore, the US, and Israel have approved lab-grown meat for human consumption, the UK’s recent decision marks a significant step forward in expanding its use to the pet food industry.
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