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USDA/FDA Meeting on What to Call Cell-Cultured Meat

Dan Cattle, Hogs & Pork, Industry News Release, Poultry

Politico says a recent two-day joint USDA/FDA public gathering on cell-cultured food technology boiled down to a simple question. If it looks like meat and tastes like meat, can you call it meat?

cell cultureDuring the public comment period, stakeholders offered opinions on what the new form of meat should be called and how it should be labeled, which is a critical factor in shaping public perception of the product. The food technology takes cells from animals and grows them into meat products like burgers, nuggets, fish, and sausages. Supporters say the products are effectively meat and should be labeled as meat.

Mike Selden is CEO of Finless Foods, a cell-based seafood company. He says the term “lab-grown meat,” which has been widely used for some time now is “intensely misleading” and unfair.

Traditional meat groups have made it clear they don’t want the new companies using their product name.

Kevin Kester, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President, calls the products “lab-grown fake meat” and says those manufacturers should not be permitted to use the term “beef.”

Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.