Mission Barns, a Californian food tech startup, has made significant strides in the cultivated meat industry by securing approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to sell cultivated pork fat. The FDA issued a ‘no questions’ letter, confirming that the company’s cultivated pork fat is safe for consumption. This approval places Mission Barns as the third company in the U.S. to receive regulatory clearance for cultivated meat after Upside Foods and Eat Just.
First Cultivated Pork in the U.S.
Mission Barns is the first company globally to be granted approval to sell cultivated pork. The company plans to debut its products, including Italian-style meatballs and applewood-smoked bacon, at San Francisco-based Fiorella restaurants and Sprouts Farmers Market. This marks the first time cultivated meat will be available in U.S. supermarkets.
The FDA confirmed that Mission Barns’ process does not result in harmful substances or microorganisms that could adulterate the food. The agency stated, “We have no questions at this time regarding Mission Barns’ conclusion that foods comprised of or containing cultured pork cell material resulting from the production process are as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods.”
Approval Process and Next Steps
The FDA’s approval follows a lengthy consultation that started in May 2022 and included 18 amendments. However, Mission Barns still needs approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for its pilot plant and product labeling before it can officially launch its products.
Despite regulatory success, the cultivated meat industry faces significant political and financial challenges in the U.S. Over 20 states have proposed laws to restrict or ban cultivated meat, with some achieving success. Additionally, the industry has faced funding cuts, with a dramatic decrease in investment since 2021.
Innovative Bioreactors and Future Plans
Mission Barns, founded in 2018 by Eitan Fischer, uses fat cells from domestic Yorkshire pigs to cultivate pork fat in bioreactors. The company’s innovative bioreactor technology departs from the traditional methods used in the biopharma industry. This new system makes it easier, cheaper, and more efficient to produce cultivated meat on a larger scale.
The company has a pilot plant in the Bay Area and is working on scaling up its production. The goal is to build a commercial manufacturing facility capable of producing tens of millions of pounds of cultivated meat annually.
Cultivated Fat: The Future of Cell-Cultured Meat
Mission Barns’ focus on cultivating fat, rather than lean meat, is a strategic move to commercialize cell-cultured meat more effectively. Fat is a key driver of flavor and juiciness in meat products. Additionally, fat is quicker and less expensive to produce than lean meat, making it a more practical solution for scaling up production.
“We believe in giving consumers more choice—people looking for delicious, healthy, and responsibly produced meat are excited to try our products,” Fischer said. He emphasized that by advancing cultivated meat production, Mission Barns is contributing to a more resilient food system.
The Political Landscape and Industry Challenges
The FDA’s approval of Mission Barns’ products comes at a time when the cultivated meat industry is navigating significant hurdles. In addition to state-level legislative challenges, some countries, such as Italy, have already banned cultivated meat, while others, like Florida and Alabama, have passed similar laws.
Despite these challenges, industry leaders believe that the U.S. has an opportunity to become a global leader in the cultivated meat market. The Association for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation, a trade group for cellular agriculture, noted that cultivated meat has federal regulatory oversight from both the FDA and USDA, which can help the industry thrive.
A Historic Moment for Cultivated Meat
Fiorella co-founder Brandon Gillis expressed optimism about the potential of cultivated meat to address the challenges of the global food supply chain. “I’ve been keeping tabs on the cultivated meat industry as a potential solution,” he said. “After meeting with Mission Barns and tasting its products, I wanted to make sure we created a partnership for this historic moment.”
As cultivated meat products like those from Mission Barns begin to enter the U.S. market, they represent a significant milestone for the industry, offering consumers more options and helping build a more sustainable food system.
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