USDA approves lab-cultured chicken meat for sale

The U.S. Department of Agriculture approved lab-made chicken meat from both Good Meat and Upside Foods for commercial sale on Wednesday. Months ago, the Food and Drug Administration ruled the product safe for basic human consumption in March 2023 and November 2022, respectively. These approvals make the United States the second country after Singapore to approve cell-cultured chicken for commercial consumption and sale. The companies make the “death-free” meat by cultivating cells taken from a living chicken or a fertilized egg, they say. Workers grow and harvest the meat in steel tanks, then shape it into cutlets and other poultry products.

Will lab-made chicken become a norm? The cultivation process is expensive and time-consuming, so traditional chicken will likely remain the norm for the foreseeable future. Both Good Meat and Upside Foods brokered partnerships with upscale restaurants to begin selling their products. Producers describe their intention for lab-made chicken to become “high-end” poultry, not for common consumption.

Dig deeper: Read Heather Frank’s report on the FDA approval of lab-grown chicken.