FDA Approves Lab-Grown Salmon, Now Served In Portland Restaurant

For the first time ever, the FDA has greenlit a safety consultation for lab-grown fish, marking a major step forward for the alternative protein industry.

Wildtype, the company behind cultivated salmon, becomes just the fourth firm to receive this type of regulatory nod for cell-cultivated animal products. Diners in Portland, Oregon, can now taste the future, as Wildtype’s salmon is officially on the menu at Kann, a Haitian restaurant known for blending innovation with tradition.

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In a letter issued last week, the FDA confirmed it had “no questions” regarding the safety of Wildtype’s salmon, calling it “as safe as comparable foods.” This declaration signifies the final stage in the FDA’s voluntary pre-market review process for lab-grown seafood, a responsibility it holds exclusively, unlike cultivated meat, which is jointly regulated with the USDA.

Dr. Emily Nytko-Lutz, a biotech patent expert, told The Verge that while the FDA’s review is optional, it plays a crucial role in public acceptance.

“There are other pathways involving self-affirmation of safety as well as a longer food additive review process,” she explained, “but the FDA’s authorisation with a ‘No Questions’ letter is a middle ground.”

With the FDA’s blessing, Wildtype is now enrolling a waitlist for five more restaurants. The company joins Upside Foods and Good Meat, which have both been cleared to sell cultivated chicken, while Mission Barns awaits USDA approval for lab-grown pork fat. However, legal hurdles remain, as eight states have already enacted bans targeting this next-gen food tech.