Key Takeaways
- UPSIDE Foods has received USDA label approval for its cultivated chicken product.
- This follows the company’s previous GRAS approval and makes it the second firm, after Good Meat, to achieve this milestone.
- UPSIDE is now focused on obtaining a Grant of Inspection to begin commercial sales of its cultivated chicken, expected to start this year.
USDA Approval for UPSIDE Foods’ Cultivated Chicken
UPSIDE Foods has announced that it has secured label approval for its cultivated chicken from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This important development comes six months after the company became the first to receive a Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) designation from the USDA for its cultivated meat products. Following Good Meat, the cultivated meat branch of Eat Just, which obtained its label on June 8, UPSIDE is now the second company to gain this approval.
The USDA label approval indicates that UPSIDE’s cultivated chicken fully complies with the agency’s pre-market labeling requirements, which align with those for traditional meat products. As a result, UPSIDE’s chicken products will bear a USDA mark of inspection on their packaging. The label will specifically reference the term “cell-cultivated chicken” to distinguish it from traditionally farmed meat.
With the label approval secured, UPSIDE is now aiming to finalize the regulatory process by obtaining a Grant of Inspection (GOI) for its cultivated meat production facility, known as the Engineering, Production, and Innovation Center (EPIC). This GOI is the last regulatory hurdle that must be cleared before the company’s cultivated meat can be sold to consumers. Although no specific timeline has been provided for when the GOI will be received, UPSIDE has expressed hopes of making its cultivated chicken available to consumers this year, initially through the Bar Crenn restaurant located in San Francisco.
UPSIDE Foods has showcased a remarkable ability to navigate the regulatory landscape, putting it ahead of numerous other startups seeking approval for their cultivated meat products. This success can be attributed in part to the expertise of UPSIDE’s regulatory affairs team, which is led by Eric Schulze, a former FDA regulator and food scientist.
As UPSIDE progresses, the cultivated meat market continues to evolve, and industry observers are keenly watching how rapidly these innovations can move from lab to table. With significant steps already taken, the company appears poised to play an influential role in the future of sustainable protein sources.
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