Startup gets green light from FDA to sell artificial meat

American startup top foodwhich cultivates animal cells to produce meat without killing animalsreceived a green light for its manufacturing methods on Wednesday from the US Food Safety Agency, FDA.

“We launched Upside in a world full of skeptics, and today we are once again making history as the first company to receive an unquestioning letter from FDA for lab-grown meat,” co-founder and CEO Uma Valeti said in a statement from the California-based company.

“This milestone marks a big step towards a new era in meat production, and I am thrilled that consumers in the United States will soon be able to eat delicious meat grown directly from animal cells,” she added.

On practice, top food there are still many hurdles to overcome, including inspections Department of Agriculture United States before they can sell their products.

FDA “thoroughly” assessed the data and information provided by the company about its practices and “has no further questions at this stage regarding its safety findings,” the food regulator said in a statement.

But “this consultation is not an approval process,” the agency said.

There is quite a bit of competition in the lab meat business.

Several startups are targeting the production and sale of so-called “laboratory” or artificial meat so that people can consume animal protein with less environmental impact than intensive farming and without animal suffering.

These products differ from plant-based substitutes such as soy-based “steaks” and other ingredients that mimic the texture and taste of meat but do not contain animal proteins.

launch Eat simplycompetitor top foodwas the first to receive approval to sell artificial meat in Singapore in 2020.

Last May, the company reached an agreement with an equipment manufacturer to develop giant tanks in which it hopes to produce chicken and beef on a large scale.

In anticipation of being able to serve people with lab-grown meat — currently very complex and very expensive to produce — other companies want to take over the pet food market, a priori, satisfying them more easily than their owners.

Bond Pet Fooda Colorado-based startup creates animal protein through a fermentation process.