Meatable leads cultivated meat charge with first legally approved EU tasting

18 Apr 2024 --- Dutch food-tech and cultivated meat pioneer Meatable achieved an industry milestone by hosting the first-ever legally approved cultivated meat tasting in the EU. According to the company, the event marks a crucial step in the commercialization of cultivated meat.

The tasting event, held at Meatable’s headquarters in Leiden, the Netherlands, required the company to receive approval from an independent expert committee sanctioned by the Dutch government. The approval was based on Meatable’s dossier, which detailed the cultivated meat’s product safety data.

“We are incredibly proud to hold the first official cultivated meat tasting in the EU, marking a landmark moment for Meatable and our industry,” says Krijn de Nood, the company’s founder and CEO. “At Meatable, we have been working tirelessly over the last five years to develop a delicious product that looks like, tastes like and has the same texture and flavor profile as farm-raised meat.”

“We now have the opportunity to verify those findings and further optimize our product before mass market entry. I want to thank our guests for supporting the product and contributing to our mission to satisfy the world’s appetite for real meat without harming people, animals or the planet. We look forward to hosting many more tastings in the future as we work toward regulatory approval and global commercialization.”

Cultivating gastronomy
The Netherlands is the first country in the EU to allow cultivated meat tastings. Other countries include Israel, Singapore and the US.

Participants included the Dutch Prince Constantijn van Oranje — the special envoy for Techleap, Michelin-starred chef Ron Blaauw and entrepreneur Ira van Eelen, whose father Willem van Eelen is a pioneer in cultivated meat technology.

The company says the attendees underscore the significance of the event and the growing interest in cultivated meat as a sustainable and ethical alternative to conventional meat production.

“The Netherlands is a pioneer in the development of cultivated meat, and it was an honor to join the frontrunner in the field Meatable for the first European tasting of their products,” says Prince van Oranje. “Meatable’s cultivated meat has great potential to reduce the food industry’s impact on the environment, and I look forward to continuing to support the company as they work toward this goal on a path to commercialization.”Krijn de Nood, founder and CEO of Meatable (Image Credit: Meatable).

Food for the future
Meatable’s proprietary Opti-OX technology allows the company to transform a single cell from a pig into a cultivated sausage in just four days — which it recently stated it would take up to eight days. The process is 60 times faster than traditional farming methods. By streamlining cell differentiation and production processes, Meatable aims to offer high-quality cultivated meat products at competitive prices while minimizing environmental impact.

Looking ahead, Meatable says it plans to launch its first products in Singapore, where it has already conducted multiple tastings following approval from the Singapore Food Agency. Pending regulatory clearance, its products will be available in selected restaurants, marking its entry into the Asian market. 

Additionally, the company is preparing for its expansion into the US, targeting a launch by 2025, pending regulatory approvals. As the demand for sustainable and ethical food options continues to rise, Meatable says it is poised to lead the way in revolutionizing the future of food with its innovative approach to cultivated meat production.

“This is a huge step for the sector,” Ira van Eelen remarks. “Before cultured meat companies can submit their dossier to the relevant authorities, it is essential that their product can first be tasted — this way, valuable feedback can be collected for further product development.”

“The fact that this is now possible in the Netherlands itself, without having to resort to other countries, is unique.”

Edited by William Bradford Nichols