FSA, FSS Publish First UK Safety Guidance on Cell-Cultivated Products

LONDON – Cell-cultivated products are new foods that don’t involve traditional farming such as rearing livestock or growing plants and grains. They are made by taking cells from plants or animals, which are then grown into food. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland's (FSS) CCP Sandbox Programme focuses on animal cells only.

These are the first of several pieces of guidance being produced by the program, said FSA. The first confirms that cell-cultivated products produced using animal cells, sometimes called ‘lab-grown meat,' are defined as products of animal origin. This means that businesses must apply existing food safety regulations during the production process. The second provides guidance on allergenicity assessments and how nutritional quality will be assessed as part of the approval process for all cell-cultivated products.  

“Our new guidance provides clarity for businesses, helping them to understand and correctly demonstrate to UK food regulators how their products are safe," said Dr. Thomas Vincent, deputy director of innovation at the FSA. "Specifically, this guidance ensures that companies have assessed potential allergenic risks and that they are nutritionally appropriate before they can be authorised for sale. Consumers can be reassured that these innovative new foods will meet the same rigorous safety standards as conventional foods. The Sandbox programme is allowing us to fast-track regulatory knowledge to reduce barriers for emerging food technologies without compromising on safety standards.”