UPSIDE Foods makes history with first USDA-approved cultured meat

Cultivated meat, also known as lab-grown meat, utilizes advanced technology to grow real meat from extracted animal cells outside the body, eliminating the need for traditional livestock farming. This innovative process, referred to as cellular agriculture, involves isolating and nurturing a small number of animal cells, which are then replicated to create edible meat products, giving rise to the term “cell-based meat.”

First USDA-approved cultured meat

In a groundbreaking achievement last year November, UPSIDE Foods became the first company to secure approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cultivated meat.

Building on this success, UPSIDE Foods has now etched its name in history once again by obtaining the world’s first USDA-approved cultured meat. This accomplishment not only highlights the safety and viability of cultivated meat as a new food source but also establishes the U.S. as the second country to endorse the commercial sale and consumption of such products. Bloomberg’s report indicates that the initial cultured meat items have been granted licenses for sale in Singapore.

Maarten Bosch, CEO of Mosa Meats, a Dutch cultured meat company, conveyed excitement over recent U.S. progress. These updates have sparked enthusiasm in the cellular agriculture community. Bosch shared his views with Aryn Baker of Time magazine.”

Currently, you won’t find cell-cultivated chicken fillets in supermarkets right away. The companies involved are taking a measured approach, starting by introducing these products in upscale U.S. restaurants. As they gain experience and refine their processes, they will gradually increase production and potentially expand their distribution to broader markets over time. This strategy allows them to ensure quality, address any challenges, and build a solid foundation before making their products widely accessible.

How does UPSIDE Foods make meat without raising animals?

Throughout human history, consuming meat has involved the slaughter of animals. However, scientists involved in cultivated meat research assert that this traditional approach is no longer necessary.

Through cellular agriculture, they produce meat without raising and slaughtering animals, involving the extraction and nurturing of a few animal cells in a controlled setting enabling them to grow into real meat products. Thus, cultivated meat is not vegan, as it is derived from animal cells.

UPSIDE Foods utilizes the same technique to produce meat without raising and slaughtering animals.

Check out : Cultured Meat Revolution: Unveiling the Future of Sustainable Protein

What milestones has UPSIDE Foods achieved in the cultivated meat sector?

Upside Foods has accomplished several milestones in the cultivated meat sector, prioritizing the achievement of cultivated meat taste comparable to traditional meat as a crucial aspect for further development.

UPSIDE Foods, founded by Uma Valeti (CEO), Nicholas Genovese (CSO), and Will Clem, is a pioneering cultivated meat company using cellular agriculture to produce real meat without traditional animal farming.

The development process began in 2015, and Upside Foods achieved the same taste as traditional meat, confirmed by Amy Chen, the operating chief. when she tasted chicken meat grown directly from lab-cultured cells, and her initial reaction was a cliché one-liner: “It tasted like chicken.”

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In an interview, Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and Founder of UPSIDE Foods, hails the USDA approval for cultivated meat as a transformative shift in meat production.

On June 21st, UPSIDE Foods received its first restaurant order for cultivated chicken from Bar Crenn. The sale of cultivated meat started on July 1st, as reported by vegconomist.

As reported by TechCrunch, UPSIDE Foods has secured nearly $600 million from prominent investors, including the Abu Dhabi Growth Fund, Bill Gates, Cargill, Norwest, SoftBank, Temasek, and Tyson Foods.

As cultivated chicken is real meat produced from animal cells, UPSIDE Foods adheres to the same rigorous inspections and food safety standards as conventionally-produced poultry in the U.S.

After obtaining a Grant of Inspection (GOI) from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and label approval, UPSIDE Foods is now authorized to begin commercial production and sales of cultivated chicken.

With regulatory approval achieved, Upside Foods considers 2023 a significant milestone for the cultivated-meat industry.

The World Resources Institute’s 2022 State of Climate Action recommended limiting developed nations’ weekly burger consumption to two for climate goals, aiming to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. This reduction is crucial due to the significant contribution of industrial animal farming, which has been highlighted by the United Nations.