Have your say: Would you eat lab-grown meat?
Regulatory approval has been given to lab-grown meat that has not come from slaughtered animals –known as ‘clean meat’.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has given the go-ahead for San Francisco company Eat Just to sell the world’s first ‘no-kill’ chicken meat.
Initially produced for nuggets, the lab-grown meat is produced from animal cells, removing the need to feed, breed or slaughter any living creature.
As yet, Eat Just have not said when their product will be available – but it will provide happy reading for environmentalists who believe a reliance on meat is draining the planet’s resources.
They also say that alternatives, including plant-based meat, are needed as greenhouse gases produced by cows are a concern for the environment.
Eat Just say their product meets the same safety standards as normal poultry meat and has undergone rigorous testing by the SFA.
The SFA said: “It was found to be safe for consumption at the intended levels of use, and was allowed to be sold in Singapore as an ingredient in Eat Just’s nuggets product.”
However, despite no animals being harmed in making the product, Eat Just say that it is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans as it does contain animal cells.
It is thought a portion of Eat Just’s nuggets would cost around £40 due to the high costs of creating lab-grown meat – which the company hopes will become cheaper in the coming years.
Just Eat’s nuggets will go on sale in Singapore and there are currently no plans for the near future for it going on sale in the UK.
Read more: Lab-grown meat project gets first taste of EU public funds
