The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent approval of chicken made from animal cells marked a significant milestone in the cultivated meat industry, signaling a shift towards what they call more sustainable alternatives to traditional meat production methods. California-based companies GOOD Meat and Upside Foods have been granted final approval to bring “lab-grown” meat to upscale restaurants in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
All the Reasons why We ‘Need’ It
They assure us this approval follows months of evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration, affirming the safety of these products for consumption. While this development is historic, widespread availability in grocery stores may still be years away due to limited production capacity—Upside’s facility, for example, can currently produce up to 50,000 pounds of cultivated meat products per year. However, partnerships with renowned chefs like Jose Andrés indicate a growing acceptance and integration of lab-grown meat within the culinary landscape.