MEAT BY ANY OTHER NAME: What should lab-grown meat be called? USDA seeks public input
The USDA will review labels submitted before the rule-making process is completed on the understanding that they may need to be changed down the road to comply with its final regulations.
ELAINE WATSON: The USDA has issued an advance notice of proposed rule-making (ANPR) to solicit comments on how to label cell- cultured meat and poultry as startups in the space edge closer to commercialization, but says it will review labels submitted before the rule-making process is completed on the understanding that they may need to be changed down the road to comply with its final regulations…
When it comes to terminology, opinions among key stakeholders vary, with some startups favoring ‘cell-based’ or ‘cell- cultured,’ and others favoring ‘cultivated’ or ‘slaughter-free.’ ‘Clean meat’ is still used by some commentators, although critics of the term say it carries the tacit implication that the regular stuff is ‘dirty.’ Other terms such as ‘fake meat’ and ‘synthetic/artificial meat’ are more typically deployed by opponents of the technology although many media outlets still use the moniker ‘lab-grown’…
It also noted that to avoid holding up the commercialization process, it would review labels submitted by cell-cultured meat brands before the rule-making process is completed on the understanding that they may need to be changed down the road to comply with its final regulations, which is good news for startups in the space…
Laura Braden, lead regulatory counsel at the Good Food Institute – a nonprofit that promotes plant-based, fermentation-based, and cell-cultured meat – told us that it “would be premature for either USDA or FDA to prescribe a particular term for cultivated meat labels at this stage.”
But she added: “We prefer ‘cultivated’ as a modifier for seafood and meat made from animal cells because that term best combines differentiation from conventional products with consumer appeal”…
Under a joint agreement announced in March 2019, the FDA will oversee cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation, with a transition to FSIS (USDA) oversight to occur during the cell harvest stage. FSIS will then oversee the production and labeling of meat and poultry derived from these cells. SOURCE…
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