Upside’s cell-cultured chicken is first to receive FDA blessing for its production method
TechCrunchNov 29, 2022
The Facts
The US Food and Drug Admin. (FDA) on Wednesday ruled that cell-cultured chicken made from cells of live animals and grown in stainless-steel tanks by UPSIDE Foods is safe to be eaten.
UPSIDE will now work with the US Drug Admin. (USDA) on obtaining the remaining approvals before the chicken can be sold to consumers at a time to be determined.
The Spin
Narrative A
Don’t get too excited. This chicken can get all the necessary approvals, but that doesn’t mean consumers are going to adapt their behavior and eat it instead of regular chicken. This could be a fad like the plant-based meats that were all the rage not too long ago, but have become less popular and put their manufacturers in financial trouble.
Narrative B
This technology is totally different than the plant-based meats, starting with the fact that it tastes just like regular chicken. Once consumers taste it, and they realize the benefits it can have to reduce climate change, animal cruelty, antibiotic resistance and zoonotic risk, they’ll buy it in sufficient numbers to make a major difference. FDA approval brings us just one step closer to this.