GOOD Meat’s cell-based products clear FDA hurdles in the second US cultivated meat authorization

(All image credits: Good Meat). 

22 Mar 2023 --- The cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, Inc, GOOD Meat, has received a “no questions” letter from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means it has cleared crucial safety approvals.

This forms part of the FDA’s first pre-market consultations for a new kind of meat, poultry and seafood made from cells instead of raised and slaughtered animals as cell-based meat edges closer to commercialization in the US. 

It’s the second such letter in the country, closely following a similar nod of approval last November when Upside Foods became the first company in the world to receive an FDA “No Questions” letter, which means the government food agency accepts Upside’s conclusion that its cultivated chicken is safe to eat.

Safe to eat 
GOOD Meat’s letter also means the FDA accepts that the company’s first poultry product, cultivated chicken, is safe for consumption. 

The green light now clears the path to introducing GOOD Meat to restaurants and retail in the US. This comes a full two years after it received a then landmark approval in Singapore.

GOOD Meat also netted “first-in-the-world” regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in January to use serum-free media to produce cultivated meat. Removing serum from cultivated meat production can drive down costs and set the stage for expanded commercialization of sustainable protein.

GOOD Meat’s letter also means the FDA accepts that the company’s first poultry product, cultivated chicken, is safe for consumption.GOOD Meat says it will continue working with the FDA on further necessary approvals for its cultivated products. 

Meanwhile, chef José Andrés will offer GOOD Meat’s chicken to customers at a Washington D.C. restaurant.

“Since Singapore approved GOOD Meat for sale, we knew this moment was next. I am so proud to bring this new way of making meat to my country and to do it with a hero of mine, chef José Andrés,” says Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of GOOD Meat and Eat Just.

US playing cultivated meat catch up
Singapore is earning a reputation as the cultivated meat capital of the world because the island nation is leading the pack regarding regulatory approvals and commercialization. 

However, GOOD Meat says the US is fast catching up and creating a regulatory pathway to market safe, high-quality meat produced directly from animal cells. 

It’s a pioneering process that, in partnership with the broader agricultural community, can help meet the growing global demand for safe, sustainable protein. Some analysts predict cultivated meat could become a $25 billion global industry by 2030.

Background to the FDA nod
GOOD Meat’s development, manufacturing and regulatory teams prepared extensive documentation for the FDA over several months. They detailed the safety and production process for its cultivated chicken, providing details on the identity, purity and stability of chicken cells used, as well as a thorough description of its consistent, robust and scalable process, which does not require antibiotics at any stage. 

The submission included an in-depth safety review of the media used to grow its non-genetically modified cells.

Safety and quality validations submitted by GOOD Meat demonstrated that harvested cultivated chicken meat poultry microbiological and purity standards, with microbiological levels significantly cleaner than conventional chicken. 

The analysis also demonstrated that GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken contains high protein content, a well-balanced amino acid profile, and a rich source of minerals.GOOD Meat received several regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

GOOD Meat received several regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in 2020, 2021, and 2023. It remains the only cultivated meat producer in the world with the ability to sell to consumers. 

The chicken has been featured on restaurant menus, popular hawker stalls, via the food panda delivery platform, and most recently by reservation at Huber’s Butchery, one of Singapore’s premier producers and suppliers of high-quality meats.

Thousands of dishes, ranging from crispy strips and curries to skewers and salads, have been sold in Singapore.

According to consumer research conducted by a leading global management consulting firm on behalf of GOOD Meat, 70% of Singaporeans who tried GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken said it tasted as good or better than conventional chicken. 

Almost 90% of those diners said they would substitute conventional chicken with cultivated chicken, and around 90% of restaurant operators also said they would be open to selling cultivated meat. Most said they could envision cultivated meat replacing conventional meat on menus within a decade.

70% of Singaporeans who tried GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken said it tasted as good or better than conventional chicken.“Forward-thinking companies like GOOD Meat are tackling food security, nutrition and environmental stewardship in new and exciting ways. Receiving a ‘no questions’ letter from the FDA and a subsequent clearance from the USDA will allow GOOD Meat to scale up manufacturing and begin introducing its products to US consumers,” says Dan Glickman, GOOD Meat Advisory Board member; former US Secretary of Agriculture and member of the US House of Representatives.

“Just as the US has been a global leader in modernizing conventional food and agriculture techniques, it too can lead in the emerging alternative protein space. Today’s announcement is one such example.”

The Good Food Institute also welcomes GOOD Meat’s approval. It highlights how just a few governments worldwide are beginning to prioritize alternative proteins to meet the increasing demand for sustainable food while hitting climate targets. But more countries need to follow suit, he flags. 

“Asia’s leading alternative protein think tank, we’re pleased to see that GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken –which has been enjoyed by thousands of diners in Singapore over the past few years– is now on track to expand to the US,” says Mirte Gosker, managing director of The Good Food Institute APAC.

“Amid skyrocketing food demand and diminishing natural resources, it has never been more urgent to scale up manufacturing and distribution of alternative proteins on both sides of the Pacific. This FDA green light opens the door to additional regulatory and scientific collaboration between two of the world’s leading innovation hubs and moves cultivated meat one step closer to becoming a truly global business.” 

By Gaynor Selby

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