Americans can soon try GOOD Meat’s lab-grown chicken, thanks to a ‘no question’ approval by the FDA.
Lab-grown Chicken
California-based cultivated meat company GOOD Meat has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to bring its lab-grown chicken to market, according to agency documents released on Tuesday.
Several companies are working to bring cultivated meat to market in the United States, and must receive approval from both the FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture before they can sell their products.
“We have no questions at this time regarding GOOD Meat’s conclusion that foods comprised of or containing cultured chicken cell material [are] as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods,” the FDA said in a March 20 letter to the company.
The FDA’s letter “clears a crucial step in bringing GOOD Meat to restaurants and retail in the US,” GOOD Meat said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it “is now working with the US Department of Agriculture on necessary approvals.”
The approval certifies that the FDA has deemed the product safe for human consumption. The brand expects to receive a “no-questions” letter from the FDA after UPSIDE Foods’ cultivated chicken breast was approved in November 2020.
The company plans to sell its product initially at restaurants owned by Chef José Andrés, renowned for his global food security work.
How is it Made?
Cultivated meat is produced by growing a small sample of animal cells in steel vats with added nutrients before processing the cells into the meat. Companies dealing in cultivating meat argue that their products can provide environmental benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions derived from livestock.
GOOD Meat has been selling its lab-grown chicken product in Singapore on a small scale since 2020. According to the FDA, the company’s conclusion that its product is safe for human consumption has been accepted, stating that “foods containing or containing cultured chicken cell material [are] as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods.”
What’s Next?
GOOD Meat plans to initially sell its product at restaurants owned by chef José Andrés, known for his work on global food security. The company has been selling its chicken on a small scale in Singapore since 2020.
“I am so proud to bring this new way of making meat to my country and to do it with a hero of mine, Chef José Andrés,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of GOOD Meat, in a statement.
GOOD Meat plans to initially sell its product at a restaurant in Washington D.C. owned by world-renowned chef, and humanitarian José Andrés.
The FDA’s move comes just months after UPSIDE Foods received the FDA’s first regulatory green light to sell cultivated meat, poultry or seafood in November 2022.
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