The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has started assessing the safety of lab -grown meat, but only a minority of consumers seems to be willing to consume it.
A team of scientists and legal experts will work on the two -year program with academic authorities, industry and trade organizations.
In 2024, the FSA and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) received £ 1.6 million ($ 2.1 million) to launch a program for cell cultivated products. The aim is to collect scientific evidence about cells -based products and how they are made to help the agencies regulate these products.
Although ‘on cells -based’, ‘cultivated’ and ‘grown’ his preferred minologies, other terms such as ‘in vitro’, ‘artificial’, ‘fake’, ‘clean’ and ‘lab grown’ are used. Cell -based products are made without slaughter or traditional agricultural methods. Cells from plants or animals are grown in a controlled environment to make a food product.
“By giving priority to consumer safety and ensuring that new foods, such as cells -based products are safe, we can support growth in innovative sectors. Our goal is to ultimately offer consumers a broader choice of new food, while retaining the highest safety standards, “said Professor Robin May, FSA Chief Scientific Advisor.
Companies participating in the program are Hoxton Farms, Roslin Technologies and Uncommon Bio from the UK and Bluenalu from the United States. Gourmey and Vital meat both come from France, while mosa meat comes from the Netherlands, and Vow comes from Australia.
Academic partners include the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (Carma) led by the University of Bath, National Alternative Protein Innovation Center (NAPIC) and the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein. The trade body that represents the industry is the Alternative Proteins Association and the non-governmental organization. The Good Food Institute Europe is also involved.
Consumers are wary
FSA has published a evidence review This consolidated the current evidence about consumer views of cells -based products.
This found only a minority of 16 to 41 percent of people willing to consume cells -based meat in the UK. Willingness to eat it is lower than in the United States.
Willingness to consume meat on cells in the UK has not changed significantly from 2022 to 2024. International evidence indicates that people who regularly consume vegetable meat are also more open to having meat on cells.
Many people think that meat based on cells should not be for sale in the UK in the future or not be sure. Observed concerns are more common than observed benefits.
Most people are worried about meat on cells, especially that it is safe to eat and the impact on farmers. The majority of people is also not willing to pay more for it than grown meat. Concern about safety and health was supported by perceptions that the product was unnatural and a lack of scientific concept.
Consumer consciousness of allergens in cell -based meat and seafood was low.
People are generally not certain whether Regulation will prevent the sale of unsafe cell -based meat, but they expect them to be regulated and have clear labeling.
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