Meat & Livestock News

Australia and New Zealand on the Cusp of Approving First Cultivated Meat Product

Chopped raw meat. The process of preparing forcemeat by means of a meat grinder. Homemade sausage. Ground beef.
  • Topic: Australia and New Zealand’s potential approval of first cultivated meat product.
  • Key Player: Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) evaluating Vow Food’s cultivated quail product.
  • Public Engagement: Six-week period for public feedback.
  • Safety and Labeling: FSANZ confirms safety, proposes labeling guidelines.
  • Impact: Step towards leadership in innovative, sustainable food production.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has taken a significant step towards approving a cultivated quail product by Vow Food as a food ingredient. This development, as reported by Food Frontier, an independent think tank focusing on alternative proteins in Australia and New Zealand, marks a pivotal moment in the food industry of these two countries.

The public has been given a six-week period to offer feedback on what could be the first cultivated meat product available in Australia and New Zealand. This milestone follows the global precedents set by Singapore in 2020 and the United States in 2023, positioning the two countries as potential leaders in this innovative field. FSANZ, after extensive investigations, has declared the cultivated quail product “safe to eat.”

It is important to note that the FSANZ approval currently pertains exclusively to the cultivated quail product. In its public submission request, FSANZ has suggested several labelling requirements for cultivated meat to prevent consumer confusion.

Simon Eassom, Executive Director of Food Frontier, emphasised the importance of public confidence in the introduction of novel food categories. “Gaining acceptance is always contingent on public confidence,” he said. “The successful approval of Vow’s application could set Australia and New Zealand at the forefront of this new era in food production.”

This development signifies a major advancement in the realm of alternative protein sources, potentially heralding a new chapter in sustainable and innovative food production in Australia and New Zealand.