Current:Home > MarketsFDA gives 2nd safety nod to cultivated meat, produced without slaughtering animals-DB Wealth Institute B2 Expert Reviews
FDA gives 2nd safety nod to cultivated meat, produced without slaughtering animals
View Date:2024-12-24 00:06:11
GOOD Meat, a company that grows chicken and other meat from animal cells without slaughtering animals, has cleared a significant Food and Drug Administration safety hurdle. The clearance brings the company one step closer to selling its products in the U.S.
The regulatory agency issued a "no questions" letter as part of its pre-market consultation, which means the agency agrees with the company's conclusion that its cultivated chicken is safe to consume.
Now, the company must obtain a grant of inspection from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to operate its production facility in Alameda, Calif. "We are working with the USDA to clear that last hurdle," GOOD Meat CEO Josh Tetrick told NPR by text.
The company says celebrity chef José Andrés has agreed to offer GOOD Meat's chicken to his customers at one of his restaurant in Washington, D.C. "It's going to be something when it lands in his restaurants," Tetrick said.
GOOD Meat has been selling its chicken in Singapore since 2020, but so far there are no foods made from cultured animal cells on the market in the U.S. As more than 80 companies stake a future in the space, the USDA and FDA have been working together on regulatory oversight to make sure that cultivated meats entering the U.S. market are safe and properly labeled.
"Today's news is more than just another regulatory decision — it's food system transformation in action," says Bruce Friedrich, president and founder of the Good Food Institute, a non-profit think tank that focuses on alternatives to traditional meat production. Friedrich points to the potential environmental benefits of cultivated meat.
"Consumers and future generations deserve the foods they love made more sustainably and in ways that benefit the public good — ways that preserve our land and water, ways that protect our climate and global health," Friedrich says.
GOOD Meat's production facility looks like a brewery, filled with big, shiny, stainless-steel tanks. On a recent tour of the facility GOOD Meat scientist Vitor Espirito Santo explains how the meat is grown.
First they extract a bunch of cells from chickens. Then they feed the cells a mix of proteins, fats and carbohydrates — the same things the cells would get if they were in an animal's body. Then the cells start to proliferate and grow.
"Think about yeast fermentation," Espirito Santo says. "The processes are the same. We feed them with nutrients, and they will multiply until we tell them to stop," he says.
The meat grows inside the tanks on trays. After it comes out, it's molded into shapes such as nuggets or a fillet. After three to four weeks, they're ready for the grill.
GOOD Meat is the second cultivated meat company to receive FDA clearance.
Last fall, the agency made history when it informed UPSIDE Foods that it agreed with the company's assessment that its cultivated chicken is safe to eat.
UPSIDE Foods was co-founded by a cardiologist who believes growing meat from cells is a better way to bring meat to the table. During a tour last fall, Dr. Uma Valeti showed NPR's reporters around the facility, which is full of glass walls, and intended to signal transparency in the process. "To create a paradigm change, people should be able to walk through and see and believe it," he says.
UPSIDE Foods is also awaiting a mark of inspection from USDA.
veryGood! (66533)
Related
- Brian Austin Green’s Fiancée Sharna Burgess Celebrates Megan Fox’s Pregnancy News
- Sydney Sweeney Wore Angelina Jolie’s Euphoric 2004 Oscars Dress to After-Party 20 Years Later
- Matt Damon's Walk of Fame star peed on by dog Messi, picking a side in Jimmy Kimmel feud
- Anatomy of a Fall Dog Messi Pees on Matt Damon’s Star at 2024 Oscars
- Watch as massive amount of crabs scamper across Australian island: 'It's quite weird'
- Matt Damon's Walk of Fame star peed on by dog Messi, picking a side in Jimmy Kimmel feud
- Federal judge in Texas blocks US labor board rule that would make it easier for workers to unionize
- Justice Department investigating Alaska Airlines door blowout
- Flurry of contract deals come as railroads, unions see Trump’s election looming over talks
- 2 women who bought fatal dose of fentanyl in Mexico for friend sentenced to probation
Ranking
- Jessica Simpson’s Sister Ashlee Simpson Addresses Eric Johnson Breakup Speculation
- Mac Jones trade details: Patriots, Jaguars strike deal for quarterback
- Behind the Scenes: What you didn’t see at the 2024 Oscars
- Maritime corridor for aid to Gaza will take two months to build and 1,000 U.S. forces, Pentagon says
- Trading wands for whisks, new Harry Potter cooking show brings mess and magic
- Kim Kardashian and Odell Beckham Jr. Leave Oscars After-Party Together Amid Romance Rumors
- Two National Guard soldiers, Border Patrol agent identified after deadly helicopter crash
- Oppenheimer Wins Best Picture at Oscars 2024
Recommendation
-
Powerball winning numbers for Nov. 13 drawing: Jackpot rises to $113 million
-
At least 19 dead, 7 missing as flash floods and landslide hit Indonesia's Sumatra island
-
Charlize Theron Has Best Reaction to Guillermo's Tequila Shoutout at 2024 Oscars
-
Jimmy Kimmel calls out Greta Gerwig's Oscars snub, skewers 'Madame Web' in opening monologue
-
3 Iraqis tortured at Abu Ghraib win $42M judgement against defense contractor
-
John Cena Is Naked at the 2024 Oscars and You Don't Want to Miss This
-
Oscars 2024: Jimmy Kimmel Just Wondered if Bradley Cooper Is Actually Dating His Mom Gloria
-
3 reasons you probably won't get the maximum Social Security benefit