[In December 2020,] Singapore became the first country to authorise the commercialisation of cultivated meat. Understandably, Europeans want to know when it will be their turn: when will cultivated meat be served on EU plates?
At ProVeg International’s 2021 New Food Conference, attendees were asked this exact question.
A small proportion (8%) said they don’t believe cultured meat will ever be commercialised in Europe. Eleven percent were significantly more optimistic, believing that lab-grown meat will reach plates within the next two years.
More still (34%) said that lab-grown meat would eventually be commercialised on the bloc, but that it would take five years or longer, and the majority (58%) said cultivated meat would receive approval within three to five years.
Once a ‘perfect’ application is submitted, the approval process is expected to take at least 18 months. “Any reiteration will need at least six months on top,” said the Peace of Meat director [David Brandes]. “So let’s assume 24-30 months is realistic from the time of submission.”
Continuing his calculations, Brandes said he hopes the first applications will be submitted within the next quarter. Adding on two years on top of that bring his estimation of a first approval to at least three years from now.
