The FDA in the United States just approved lab-grown chicken. After USDA approval, which will be forthcoming, this chicken will be marketed in America. In Canada, few agribusiness groups take this science seriously. But they should.
Posted at 7:30am
We knew it would happen sooner or later, but that time has come. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved the sale of American-grown chicken, a product of Upside Foods, a San Francisco-based start-up. The company produces meat from animal cells. The product is not yet approved for retail. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and its Food Safety and Inspection Service must also approve it. But everyone is expecting approval in the next few months. That means the day is getting closer when we’ll see lab chicken on the market.
The manufacturing process is not that complex. Obtaining stem cells from a live chicken or fertilized egg is the first step. The cells are then fed in a laboratory, like animals, with amino acids, fatty acids, sugars, trace elements, salts and vitamins. The main difference between feeding a live animal and feeding cells is the size of the food components; that’s all. As the chicken is fed corn, the cells are fed microscopic carbohydrates and proteins.
The products are then placed in a cultivator to reproduce larger numbers of cells. After three weeks, the product is ready for packaging, shipping, sale and consumption.
Without slaughtering animals, the product can be made to meet different tastes and nutritional needs. We can grow wings, thighs or breasts according to market demand and limit waste.
Those who denounce these products as fake meat don’t understand the science behind cultured meat. Unlike traditional methods, cells are simply replicated in a clean and hygienic laboratory environment, which has significant benefits.
The cost of producing a kilo of chicken in a laboratory is not disclosed. One thing is certain, a kilo of chicken costs less in the laboratory than in traditional production. The shorter production cycle and reduced likelihood of foodborne illness from gut bacteria are obvious advantages. Animal diseases such as bird flu, which are currently costing the poultry industry and consumers a fortune, can also be prevented. Risks are much easier to contain with cleaner production.
Hundreds of companies are currently developing lab-derived foods (chicken, beef, seafood, coffee, etc.) in the United States and more than a dozen in Canada. Most of these initiatives are funded by investors who have virtually no farming experience and whose mindset is free from traditional agribusiness biases. They just see food differently and the industry giants can’t help but follow suit.
The story of Upside Foods is a good example. The company started in 2015 with financial support from Bill Gates, Cargill, Tyson Foods and Richard Branson, among others. Whole Foods invested in the company in 2020. While Tyson and Cargill are among the world’s largest meat processors, Upside Foods just acquired Cultured Decadence, a cultured seafood company, for $400 million.
If you find eating cultured meat repulsive, you are probably over the age of 45. In a recent survey conducted by our lab, 27% of Canadians would try lab-grown food. But that percentage triples among millennials and millennials simply because they view these proteins as more sustainable and morally acceptable. It is estimated that a third of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions come from food production, and some advocate other ways of producing animal protein. In addition, the United Nations has warned the world of the risk of maintaining highly concentrated animal feed to prevent future pandemics. These risks remain real. We discussed this at length during COP27 last week.
It won’t be long before cultured chickens are commercially sold in the United States. In Canada, however, poultry producers will certainly have a say with our quota system. But hopefully, if cultured meat is marketed in Canada, unlike genetically engineered salmon, it will carry proper labeling so consumers know what they’re buying.