Singapore approves cultured meat

Singapore’s Food Agency has approved the sale of cultured meat for human consumption. The agency gave the USA-based start-up Eat Just authorisation to sell its lab-grown chicken as an ingredient in chicken bites. Cultured meat – unlike plant-based alternatives – is created by taking stem cells from living animal muscle or fat tissue and growing them in a culture medium; the medium is then put into a bioreactor to support cell growth. Eat Just intends to initially sell its product in a single restaurant in Singapore. Meanwhile, the company is seeking regulatory approvals in other countries, including the USA. Research into cultured meat and other cellular agriculture areas has intensified in recent years, highlighting the interplay between biology and technology (including digital technology, one example being the use of 3D printing to print meat tissues).