The United States has granted its first-ever approvals to two companies to sell chicken grown directly from animal cells, becoming only the second country to allow lab-grown meat to be offered to consumers.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved food safety systems at facilities of Upside Foods and Good Meat, a spokesperson for the agency told AFP on Wednesday, June 21, with the companies adding the products would be available soon at select restaurants.

Both Upside Foods and Good Meat were cleared on safety grounds by the Food and Drug Administration in November, and the USDA last week reviewed and approved their product labels to ensure they were not misleading.

“This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table,” said Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside Foods, in a statement. “It’s a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future – one that preserves choice and life.”

Josh Tetrick, CEO of Good Meat, the cell-cultured food division of Eat Just, added its “cultivated meat” was now “approved to sell to consumers in the world’s largest economy.”

Producing the meat in large, high-quality volumes is expensive. But, following approval, Upside processed its first order, placed by three-Michelin-star Chef Dominique Crenn’s restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco.

Good Meat, meanwhile, started production of its first batch that will be sold to celebrity chef and philanthropist Jose Andres. Andres will sell the product at a yet-to-be-revealed restaurant in the capital Washington.

Several start-ups are aiming to produce the so-called lab-grown meat, which would allow humans to consume animal protein without the associated environmental harms of farming or animal suffering.

The products differ from plant-based substitutes such as soy burgers that mimic the texture and flavor of meat but do not contain any animal protein. Eat Just was the first to receive authorization to make artificial meat, in Singapore in 2020.

While succeeding in the general lab-meat market has proven complicated, some companies have set their sights on pet food, whose consumers are less picky. Bond Pet Foods, a Colorado start-up, is creating animal protein from a microbial fermentation process to feed dogs.

According to .lemonde.fr. Source of photos: internet