Lab-grown chicken has finally gotten the green light from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
On Wednesday, it was announced that the USDA had approved both Good Meat and Upside Foods to begin selling cell-based meats. These are usually created in labs using stem cells from animals to create meat that is equivalent to traditional meat obtained via slaughter. In recent years, many people have gravitated towards this method, known as cultured meat. It cuts down on killing animals and can feed more people than traditional farming.
Both Good Meat and Upside Foods have previously received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which declared the cultured meat safe for consumption. As this meat begins to roll out in supermarkets, consumers will be able to tell the difference between this and normal harvested meat. Products produced by the two startups will be labeled “cell-cultivated chicken,” giving shoppers the right to choose.
Two popular chefs have already signed on to begin serving the alternative in their establishments. Chef Jose Andres has summoned Good Meat’s cultured chicken for meals at a Washington, D.C. eatery. Fellow renowned culinary guru Chef Dominique Crenn will also offer the lab-created food at Bar Crenn in San Francisco. While stores will identify the new creation, it’s unclear if either chef will be required to tell customers they are consuming lab-grown meat.
Both companies will now face the hurdle of convincing consumers to make the switch from farm-raised poultry to lab-created. Additionally, they must also determine ways to mass produce the meat on a large scale, which is extremely costly at the moment.
