Synthetic versus natural, animal welfare versus technology – legal, technical, and ethical considerations are all part of the debate on cultivated meat. In the retail sector, providers of plant-based meat alternatives are popping up everywhere. In contrast, things remain relatively quiet when it comes to cultivated meat. To understand why this is (still) the case, one must first look at the production process of cultivated meat and what exactly falls under this definition. This article begins with a general definition of what is meant by cultivated meat and provides an overview of the current regulations in the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK) that affect market access.
Cultivated meat – what is it?
Meat that is cultivated, synthetic, lab grown or cell based – all these different terms refer to the same thing: genuine animal meat produced by cultivating animal cells in a safe and controlled environment. It is not considered vegetarian and is not to be confused with plant based meat substitutes derived from protein-rich plants like soy or peas. However, due to technical advancements, no animal must die for the production of cultivated meat. At least that's the theory. In practice, things look a bit different, at least for now.
Cultivated meat does not grow as a whole piece in a reactor. Instead, individual cell types are cultivated. In the first step, stem cells are either extracted by biopsy from a living animal or obtained from a slaughtered animal. These cells are then multiplied in a bioreactor using a nutrient solution. The stem cells differentiate into various components, including muscle and fat cells, which are needed to produce meat. These cells are separated and continue to grow on a scaffold. This results in a cell cluster, but not trained muscle fibers like those found in an animal’s hind leg. Therefore, cultivated meat is used to make products such as nuggets or minced meat, where the external shape is irrelevant. It will still take some time before “trained” meat such as steaks or fillets can be produced in the laboratory.
Possible pros and cons of cultivated meat
While the appearance, taste and nutritional value of cultivated meat are similar to those of conventional meat, the negative aspects of mass meat production can be avoided. However, this requires further improvement of the economic and environmental conditions for the cultivation of meat cells – particularly the energy consumption and production costs associated with growing meat cells in a bioreactor. The use of renewable energy will play an important role in addressing this issue. Land and water consumption are already significantly lower today.
An important issue in connection with cultured meat is animal welfare. A large amount of cultivated meat can be produced without animals having to die. However, the nutrient solution in which the stem cells grow currently contains fetal bovine serum (FBS), among other things. This is produced from the blood of fetuses. A pregnant cow must be slaughtered for this purpose, meaning that cultivated meat is not yet completely slaughter-free. Research is being conducted into synthetic nutrient media, and the company Mosa Meat has already stated that it can produce cultivated meat without the use of FBS.
Food regulation on market access of cultivated meat: Novel Food Regulation
The regulations in the UK and EU are very similar. This is because cultivated meat falls under the Novel Food Regulation in the EU. This regulation also forms the legal basis for the marketing and use of novel foods in the UK. There, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for food safety and the regulation of novel foods. Just a few weeks ago, the FSA launched a new program. In this project, various start-ups in the field of cultivated meat are working together with scientists, regulatory experts, and academic institutions to revise and accelerate the approval process for cultivated meat.
Since cultivated meat was not consumed in the EU before 1997, it is classified as a “novel food” and is subject to the Novel Food Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. Therefore, cultivated meat must meet a number of criteria in order to be marketed in the EU. The novel food must be approved by the European Commission. The company intending to market the product must submit a dossier in accordance with the guidelines for novel foods. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) then conducts a risk assessment to ensure that the product is safe for consumption. Scientific data must be provided to demonstrate that the novel food poses no safety risk to human health. The applicant must describe the novel food in detail and provide extensive information about the manufacturing process, composition, and proposed use. After completing the review, a decision regarding market approval will be made. If the product is authorized, it will be added to the Union list of novel foods.
A French start-up is the first company to have submitted an application to the EFSA in 2024 for the approval of a cell-cultured meat substitute. The approval process under the Novel Food Regulation is a thorough procedure that is expected to take at least 18 months. Therefore, it may still take some time before potential approval is granted. Several other companies are currently in preliminary discussions with the EFSA. However, no product made from cultivated meat has been approved so far.
Since February 2025, dog food and other carnivorous pet food without “real” meat, but made from cultivated chicken cells, has been available on the market in the UK. The British authorities had approved the world’s first product of this kind in August 2024. This makes the UK the first country in Europe to approve cultivated meat. It is made by taking a small sample from a chicken egg, cultivating it with vitamins and amino acids in a lab, then growing cells in a container similar to those in which beer is fermented. The result is a paté-like paste.
Position in some Member States of the EU
Despite the harmonized regulation in EU Food Law, the political positions in the single Member States are far more fragmented and the Member States express differing positions on lab-cultivated meat. Without approval as Novel-Food by the EFSA, lab-cultivated meat cannot enter the EU-market. Political opposition from individual member states could be a threat to novel food approval.
Germany is taking a neutral stance on this issue and wants to keep an eye on the development of cultivated meat.
But another European country made headlines: Italy was the first European country to legally ban the manufacture, marketing and sale of cultivated meat. However, the Italian government adopted the law before the Commission or other Member States could assess the impact of the proposal, even though objections were raised within the Union. Since the Italian law was only submitted to the TRIS procedure after its adoption by the Italian Parliament, the Commission was forced to close the procedure, stating that the process had been violated and that national courts could declare the law unenforceable. The concerns regarding the legality of the law go beyond mere procedural issues, as the law could also violate the EU precautionary principle and the Italian Constitution.
In contrast, the Netherlands primarily point opportunities. Cultivated meat can also be tasted there under controlled conditions.
Perspective
Since the first cultivated meat patty was introduced in 2013, a lot has happened. Recently, it was announced that researchers at the University of Tokyo have produced the largest piece of lab-grown meat to date. Technological developments will be crucial for further progress. It is – and will remain – the responsibility of governments and the EU to provide legal support for this development and thus create an appropriate framework. Regardless of legal requirements, consumer acceptance will ultimately determine the success or failure of cultivated meat.
