In practice, Upside Foods still has many hurdles to overcome, including inspections by the US Department of Agriculture, before it can sell its products.
The FDA has “carefully” evaluated the data and information provided by the company about its methods and “has no further questions at this stage about its conclusions in terms of safety,” the food regulator said in its own news release.
But “this consultation does not constitute an approval process,” the agency specified.
Several startups aim to produce and market so-called “laboratory” or artificial meat, to allow humans to consume animal protein with less impact on the environment 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 flavor of meat, but do not contain animal protein.
Startup Eat Just, a competitor to Upside Foods, was the first to receive permission to market artificial meat, in Singapore, in 2020.
Last May, it reached an agreement with an equipment manufacturer to develop giant tanks where it hopes to produce chicken and beef on a large scale.
While waiting to be able to serve humans laboratory meat – at the moment very complicated and very expensive to produce – other companies want to conquer the pet food market, a priori less difficult to satisfy than their owners.
Bond Pet Foods, a Colorado startup, is creating animal protein from a microbial fermentation process to feed dogs without killing cows or chickens.