The North American Meat Institute (NAMI) joined up with Memphis Meats, a San Francisco-based company that’s developing cell-based meat to send a letter to the Trump Administration.
The Hagstrom Report says they’re asking that the Food and Drug Administration and the Ag Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service share regulatory responsibilities for cell-based meat.
The letter says in the case of new or novel food ingredients like this, the FDA should have oversight over pre-market safety evaluations for cell-based meat and poultry products. USDA has traditionally given input to the FDA as part of the regulatory process for new products, which the letter says should continue. “After pre-market safety has been established, USDA should regulate cell-based meat and poultry products, as it does with all other meat and poultry products,” the letter says. “USDA will apply relevant findings from FDA’s safety evaluation to ensure that products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.”
The U.S. Cattlemen’s Association weighed in, saying it’s “concerned about the use of the term ‘meat,’ but the commitment to come to the table to propose solutions is a step in the right direction.”
Source: National Association of Farm Broadcasting News Service.