FDA approves lab-grown, 'no-kill' cultivated meats for U.S. sale

June 21 (UPI) -- A major FDA regulatory advance has been made that could lead to more companies producing meat by growing cells extracted from an animal's body.

GOOD Meat, the meat division of Eat Just, and UPSIDE Foods announced Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the companies to sell cultivated poultry in the United States.

Cultivated meat, which is grown from animal stem cells without having to kill the animal, is created by extracting cells from an animal and growing the cells in a controlled environment by providing nutrients.

"The announcement that we're now able to produce and sell cultivated meat in the United States is a major moment for our company, the industry and the food system," said GOOD Meat and Eat Just CEO Josh Tetrick. "We have been the only company selling cultivated meat anywhere in the world since we launched in Singapore in 2020."

"Immediately after receiving the grant of inspection, production started for the first batch of cultivated chicken that will be sold to celebrated restaurateur and humanitarian Chef Jose Andres," GOOD Meat said in a statement Wednesday.

"UPSIDE Foods just secured full regulatory clearance to produce and sell our cell-cultivated chicken in the U.S., and to celebrate, we're inviting you to JOIN US for the meal of a lifetime," UPSIDE Foods tweeted Wednesday.

Before the landmark approval, Singapore was the only country that had approved the sale of cultivated meat.

Advocates of cultivated meat say it is less environmentally damaging than raising animals for slaughter, which contributes to greenhouse gases and waste.

Both companies have raised significant money from investors. UPISDE Foods has raised $608.4 million, while Eat Just has raised $978.5 million.

Cultivated meat companies hope to improve mass-production methods to lower the price of their products.