Plant-based protein and “meat-alternative” products have streamed into the marketplace in recent years. The trend has been driven in part by world population growth and the quest to meet the increased demand for protein that comes with it.
While the concept of producing cultured meat is simple, the implementation has proven to be challenging. Cultured meat is not yet available for consumer purchase at retail or food-service outlets primarily because the technology is still in the discovery stages. The industry continues to face several hurdles – technological and otherwise.
Government oversight and labeling regulation present challenges for the commercialization of cultured meat. Production methods span areas where both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have regulatory authority. That creates a potentially complicated dual-agency regulatory approach.
But per a recent agreement, the FDA will oversee cell collection and propagation up to the point of harvesting. The USDA will be responsible for all aspects of the end product, including food safety and labeling. That said no decisions have been made on the appropriate labeling terms to be used for cultured meat, poultry and seafood. The official names we may see in the marketplace are anybody’s guess.
