UK moves closer to approving lab-grown meat

Lab-grown meat, dairy and sugar could soon be available for human consumption in the UK, marking a potentially controversial shift in the country’s food landscape.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is working to expedite the approval process for cell-cultivated products (CCP), which are grown from cells in chemical plants, bypassing traditional animal farming.

The FSA has launched a two-year regulatory programme to ensure the safety of CCPs before they enter the market.

See also: Lab-grown meat more costly for environment, study finds

Eight companies have been selected to participate in the programme: Hoxton Farms (UK), BlueNalu (USA), Mosa Meat (Netherlands), Gourmey (France), Roslin Technologies (UK), Uncommon Bio (UK), Vital Meat (France), and Vow (Australia).

Funded by the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology’s Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund, the programme will gather scientific evidence to support the safe development of these products.

The agency aims to complete safety assessments on two CCPs within two years, offering clearer guidance for businesses and accelerating innovation.

Science minister Lord Vallance highlighted the collaboration with academic partners such as the Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA) and the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), as well as trade bodies including the Good Food Institute Europe and the Alternative Proteins Association.

Lab-grown foods are seen as a solution to climate change and animal welfare concerns, with fewer environmental impacts than traditional farming. 

The UK government is keen to support the development of these technologies, viewing them as a driver of economic growth and job creation.

This aligns with the Climate Change Committee’s recommendations to reduce meat and dairy consumption by 25-30% by 2040 and decrease the number of cattle and sheep to lower carbon emissions.

Farming industry concerns

However, the shift towards lab-grown foods has raised big concerns within the farming industry.

The NFU and other agricultural groups worry that this could undermine traditional animal livestock farming. The transition away from meat and dairy could reduce demand for livestock, negatively impacting farming communities and rural economies.

Critics, such as Pat Thomas from Beyond GM, argue that involving companies in shaping these regulations could create conflicts of interest. “If this were any other food product, we’d be outraged,” she said.

However, Professor Robin May, chief scientific advisor at the FSA, has sought to reassure the public, emphasising that the goal is safe innovation that fosters consumer trust and strengthens the UK’s position in sustainable food production.

Italian ban

Research in 2023 from the University of California, Davis, in the US, suggested lab-grown meat could have a carbon footprint up to 25 times worse for the climate than conventional meat from livestock. This raises doubts about whether lab-grown meat is a greener alternative to traditional meat production.

In November 2023, Italy became the first country to ban lab-grown meat, also known as cultivated meat. In addition, Florida and Alabama in the US have banned the sale of lab-grown meat. Tennessee has proposed a ban on the sale or distribution of lab-grown meat.