Food Standards Agency (UK):How do microbial safety issues associated with meat apply to cell cultivated products?
Cell cultivated products represent a rapidly emerging sector within the global food industry. These encompass a variety of foods produced through innovative processes that hold the potential to significantly enhance environmental sustainability, animal welfare and nutritional availability. Unlike traditional meat production, which involves animal slaughter and extensive farming practices, cell cultivated products are derived from cells isolated from animals or plants, cultivated in a controlled environment and then harvested to create the final food product or food ingredient. This method enables the production of ‘meat-like products’ without the need for traditional agricultural methods.
The novelty of these food production techniques and the products that are being developed poses challenges for regulatory bodies like the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) in conducting risk assessments based on the best available science.
Microbiological hazards are a primary concern, and the aim of this project was to review available literature and seek input from experts to identify the potential hazards, sources of contamination, mitigation measures, and evidence gaps. These are presented in this report, along with recommendations that will assist in enhancing the science base, informing regulatory requirements and facilitating future microbial safety assessment of these novel products.
Romero, R., & Quill, E. (2025). How do microbial safety issues associated with meat apply to cell cultivated products? FSA Research and Evidence. https://doi.org/10.46756/001c.144237