The United Kingdom has become the first European nation to authorize lab-grown meat for pet food, marking a significant milestone in the alternative protein industry. Regulators have approved the use of chicken cultivated from animal cells, which the lab meat company Meatly plans to sell to manufacturers.
Meatly anticipates that the initial samples of its product will be available for purchase later this year, with full-scale industrial production expected within the next three years. However, no applications for cell-cultivated products intended for human consumption have been approved in Great Britain.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has expressed support for the move, stating that it closely monitors the introduction of any new product to the market. Lab-grown meat has sparked debate globally, with proponents highlighting its environmental and animal welfare benefits, while opponents cite high costs and potential adverse effects on traditional farming.
Despite the promising development, the future of lab-grown meat remains uncertain. According to a report by the Good Food Institute, global investment in the cultivated meat and seafood sector plummeted in 2023 to less than a third of the previous year’s level.
The impact of lab-grown meat on the pet food market is also unclear. Research firm Kantar reports that British supermarkets have sold 1.2 billion packs of pet food so far this year. Meatly’s CEO, Owen Ensor, emphasized that his company is demonstrating a safe and cost-effective way to bring cultivated meat to market.
“Pet parents are crying out for a better way to feed their cats and dogs meat – we’re so excited to meet this demand,” Ensor said. He added that owners could soon provide their pets with “the real meat they need and crave, in a way that is kinder to our planet and other animals.”
The concept of lab-grown meat has evolved significantly since the first lab-grown burger, which cost over £250,000 to produce, was unveiled in London in 2013. Dozens of companies worldwide are now racing to offer affordable cultivated meat for both human and pet consumption.
Unlike plant-based substitutes, cultivated meat is real meat. The process involves extracting cells from an animal, feeding them nutrients like proteins, sugars, and fats, and allowing the cells to divide and grow in bioreactors. These bioreactors function like fermentation tanks, and the meat is harvested, mixed with vegetable protein, molded, and cooked.
Studies suggest that cultivated meat could reduce carbon emissions and water usage, as well as free up land for nature. Scientists argue that consuming more ‘green foods,’ such as ground-up insects or lab-grown meat, could alleviate environmental pressures compared to the traditional meat and dairy-heavy European diet.
Singapore was the first country to allow lab-grown meat in restaurants in December 2020, followed by the US and Israel, which have also approved these products for human consumption. However, the topic remains contentious in many countries. For instance, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has banned lab-grown meat, vowing to “save our beef” from what he describes as the “global elite” and their “authoritarian plans.”
In contrast, the UK has seen less public debate on the issue, with approval currently limited to pet food. Meatly’s product testing included proving that its cultivated chicken is free from bacteria and viruses, ensuring the safety of the nutrients used to grow the cells, and verifying that the final meat product is safe, nutritious, and free from genetically modified organisms, antibiotics, harmful germs, heavy metals, and other impurities.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency, part of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, has granted approval for the product. James Cooper, deputy director of food policy at the FSA, welcomed the use of alternative materials like cell-cultivated products in animal feed, provided they meet safety standards and comply with legal requirements.
“The safety of such products, including pet food, remains paramount and the FSA closely monitors any new product coming onto the market,” Cooper stated.
Sarah Hormozi, head of science and education at UK Pet Food—an association that Meatly recently joined—praised the introduction of cultivated meat, insect, and other novel proteins. She emphasized that these innovations are timely and welcomed as the demand for dietary proteins increases alongside mounting pressure on environmental resources.
Hormozi encouraged further research to ensure that novel proteins are “fit for purpose, nutritionally appropriate, and safe for the species they are intended for” before making them more cost-effective and accessible.
This development signals a significant shift in the pet food industry and potentially sets a precedent for future approvals of lab-grown meat products for human consumption. The UK’s approval for pet food might pave the way for broader acceptance and regulatory approval of lab-grown meat, offering a glimpse into a future where sustainable and ethical meat production becomes mainstream.
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