Singapore becomes first to approve sale of Lab grown meat

No-kill meat for healthier and safe food system

Singapore has granted San Francisco, a US start-up "Eat Just" the approval to sell its lab-grown chicken meat, in what firm says is the world’s first regulatory approval from the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) for so-called clean meat as the meat does not come from slaughtered animals.

“The first-in-the-world regulatory allowance of real, high-quality meat created directly from animal cells for safe human consumption paves the way for a forthcoming small-scale commercial launch in Singapore.” Eat Just said in a statement on Wednesday.

The firm further added that the meat will be sold as nuggets. Also the meat will be priced at premium chicken prices when it first launches in a restaurant in Singapore “in the very near term”, said Josh Tetrick, Co-founder and CEO, had previously decided to cost $50 each.

Demand for alternatives to regulate meat is surging due to consumer concerns about health, animal welfare and the environment. Plant-based substitutes, popularised by the liked of Beyond Meat Inc, Impossible Foods and Quorn, are increasingly featuring on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus.

Josh Tetrick said that the San-Francisco based firm was also talking to US regulators but that Singapore was a “good bit” ahead of the United States. He further said in an interview, “I would imagine what will happen is the US, Western Europe and others will see what Singapore has been able to do, the rigours of the framework that they put together. And I would imagine that they will try to use it as a template to put their own framework together.”