USA allow sale of lab meat
U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted approval to two companies for sale
Ibrahim Al-TarikMay 9, 2025
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted California-based companies Upside Foods and Good Meat approval to sell lab-grown meat. This makes the U.S. the second country in the world, after Singapore, to allow the sale of lab-grown meat. This development marks a milestone in the history of the two companies.
Upside CEO Uma Valeti described the approval as a dream come true, stressing that it ushers in a new era. Good Meat CEO Josh Tetrick also sees the approval as a milestone and is pleased that lab-grown meat can now be sold in the world's largest economy.
Initially, however, the lab-grown chicken meat will only be available in restaurants. The two companies have already received orders from renowned chefs in San Francisco and Washington. After testing the product in high-end restaurants, Upside Foods and Good Meat plan to expand their production capacity and offer the lab-grown meat to consumers in supermarkets as well.
Lab meat from cell cultures has the advantage of containing animal proteins without the need to raise and slaughter animals in factory farms. The meat is obtained from a sample of animal cells that are fed and allowed to grow in steel tanks. This method of meat production is also known as "clean meat" because it does not have the environmental impact of factory farming.
Studies have shown that the carbon footprint of beef can be reduced by up to 92 percent if "green" electricity from renewable sources is used during cultivation. The use of laboratory-grown meat from cell cultures thus offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional meat production.
