Cultivated Meat

Cultivated meat is safe for consumption and is made using cells from animals.

Cultivated meat, also known as cultured meat or cell-based meat, is derived by growing cells from living farm animals in a vessel containing culture media (Munteanu et al. 2021, Ong et al. 2021). Culture media is a nutrient source that enables the cells to multiply within a vessel to produce cultivated meat. The content of the culture media can include food grade essential amino acids, proteins, and hormones (Lim et al. 2025, Ong et al. 2021). Figure 1 shows how cells are used to cultivate meat.

Conventionally processed meat is prone to bacterial contamination, primarily by Salmonella, Listeria, and Escherichia coli (E. coli) which are found in animals’ digestive tracts (Rhoade et al. 2009). An assessment of bacterial contamination in raw beef showed that 18% of carcasses and 71% of ground beef samples contained Salmonella, while 97% of carcasses and all ground beef samples contained E. coli (Martínez-Chávez et al. 2015). However, the amount of bacteria can be reduced after slaughter as meat is washed and processed. In contrast, cultivated meat has lower contamination risks because it does not require slaughter and is produced in a sterile environment (Ong et al. 2021). This reduces the risk of foodborne illness and spoilage. In an FDA-approved study, commercialized cultivated chicken was shown to be free from detectable bacteria, while conventional raw ground chicken contained bacteria (Schulze 2021).

Long-term food health impacts are difficult to track due to varying diets and individual responses, but manufacturers work to enhance safety by collecting consumer feedback and collaborating with experts to monitor and mitigate risks (Ong et al. 2021). The first cultivated meat product was sold in 2023, and more time and research are needed to fully assess its potential long-term health effects (GOOD Meat 2023, UPSIDE Foods 2023, Ong et al. 2021).

Figure 1. Production of cultivated meat. In Step 1, cells are collected from animals without surgery. Steps 2 and 3 represent how the collected stem cells are fed growth serum or growth factors and grown in a vessel. In Step 4 the cells have multiplied and grown into muscle tissue, which can be processed to produce the meat in Step 5. Figure from Munteanu et al. 2021. 

Cultivated meat has a similar nutrient profile to conventional meat.

In 2022, 2023 and 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) performed a pre-market consultation with three companies before commercialization of cultivated chicken and pork fat (FDA 2025a, FDA 2025b, FDA 2023, FDA 2022). The consultation for cultivated chicken showed its nutritional content is similar to conventional chicken in protein and carbohydrates but has fewer calories and slightly higher fat content (GOOD Meat 2022, Schulze 2021). Re-evaluation of the nutritional value and safety of one of the two commercialized cultivated chicken products found that it has lower protein, amino acid, and vitamin B3 levels but higher total fat and vitamins A, B5, and B6 than conventional chicken (Sikora & Rzymski 2024).

Variations in cultivated meat nutritional content are common because there is no standard method of meat cultivation (Sikora & Rzymski 2024). For example, cultivated beef can be made to contain 98% less fat with enriched flavor and texture, but with approximately 50% less protein content than conventional beef (Lee et al. 2024). Research on cultivated meatballs showed higher caloric and protein content, with lower fat and carbohydrate content compared to conventional meatballs (Liu et al. 2022). 

Cultivated meat is regulated at the federal and state level.

The FDA and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) have jointly regulated cultivated meat since 2019 (FDA 2019). Cultivated meat is held to the same regulatory standards as conventional meat (15 USC § 1451, 21 USC 10, 21 USC 12, 21 USC 15, 21 USC § 301, 42 USC § 201). These ensure that cultivated meat products are not adulterated, are safe for consumption, and are properly labeled. Food products containing cultivated meat must meet the same FDA standards as those made with conventional meat, including facility registration, safety regulations, and accurate labeling (FDA 2025b).

The sale of cultivated meat is a misdemeanor in AL and FL, and the license of a restaurant will be suspended or revoked if owner is convicted of selling food with cultivated meat. AR, IA, KY, MS, ND, SC, WY, have enacted laws to ensure explicit labeling of cell-cultivated meat products. States like KS and MO do not mention cultivated meat in their laws, but mandate that meat not derived from harvested livestock or poultry should be properly labelled.

References 

Code of Alabama § 20-1-161 (2024) Manufacture, Sale, or Distribution of Cultivated Food Products Prohibited. https://alison.legislature.state.al.us/code-of-alabama?section=20-1-161 

Egg Products Inspection Act, 21 United States Code 15 (1979) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title21/chapter15&edition=prelim 

Fair Packaging and Labeling Act,15 United States Code § 1451 et seq. (1966) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:15%20section:1451%20edition:prelim) 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, 21 United States Code § 301, et seq. (1938) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:21%20section:301%20edition:prelim) 

Federal Meat Inspection Act 21 United States Code 12 (2014) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title21/chapter12&edition=prelim 

Florida Laws chapter 137, 25 § 500.452 (2024) Cultivated meat; prohibition; penalties. https://laws.flrules.org/2024/137. 

GOOD Meat (2022) Dossier in support of the safety of good meat cultured chicken as a human food ingredient. https://www.fda.gov/media/166346/download  

GOOD Meat (2023) GOOD Meat Gets Full Approval in the U.S. for Cultivated Meat. Press release. https://www.goodmeat.co/all-news/good-meat-gets-full-approval-in-the-us-for-cultivated-meat. 

HB311, Kentucky General Assembly, Regular session. (KY 2019). https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/acts/19RS/documents/0042.pdf 

HB1400, 66th Legislative Assembly of North Dakota, Regular Session. (ND 2019). https://aglaw.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/19-0356-07000.pdf 

HB1407, 92nd General Assembly, Regular Session. (AR 2019). https://arkleg.state.ar.us/Home/FTPDocument?path=%2FACTS%2F2019R%2FPublic%2FACT501.pdf 

Iowa Code Chapter 1158 § 137 (2024) Misbranded food products — enforcement and purchasing Restrictions — civil penalties. https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/iactc/90.2/CH1158.pdf 

Kansas Statutes § 65-665(m) (2022) Food deemed misbranded. https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch65/065_006_0065.html 

Lee M, Park S, Choi B, Choi W, Lee H, et al. (2024) Cultured meat with enriched organoleptic properties by regulating cell differentiation. Nature Communications 15:77 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44359-9 

Lim PY, Suntornnond R, Choudhury D (2025) The nutritional paradigm of cultivated meat: Bridging science and sustainability. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 156:104838. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2024.104838. 

Liu Y, Wang R, Ding S, Deng L, Zhang Y et al. (2022) Engineered meatballs via scalable skeletal muscle cell expansion and modular micro-tissue assembly using porous gelatin micro-carriers. Biomaterials, 287:121615. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biomaterials.2022.121615  

Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 United States Code 10 (1968) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title21/chapter10&edition=prelim 

Public Health Service Act (42 United States Code § 201, et seq. (1981) https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:42%20section:201%20edition:prelim) 

Martínez-Chávez L, Cabrera-Diaz E, Pérez-Montaño A, Garay-Martínez LE, Varela-Hernández JJ et al. (2015) Quantitative distribution of Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli on beef carcasses and raw beef at retail establishments. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 210, 149–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2015.06.01 

Munteanu C, Mireşan V, Răducu C, Ihuţ A, Uiuiu P et al. (2021) Can Cultured Meat Be an Alternative to Farm Animal Production for a Sustainable and Healthier Lifestyle? Frontiers in Nutrition, 8:749298. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34671633/ 

Ong KJ, Johnston J, Datar I, Sewalt V, Holmes D et al. (2021) Food safety considerations and research priorities for the cultured meat and seafood industry. Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety. 20 (6) https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12853 

Rhoade JR, Duffy G, Koutsoumanis K (2009) Prevalence and concentration of verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in the beef production chain: A review. Food Microbiology, 26(4), 357–376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fm.2008.10.012  

SB627, 99th General Assembly, Second Regular Session. (MO 2018) https://aglaw.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SB627.pdf 

SB2922, Mississippi Legislature, Regular Session. (MS 2019). https://aglaw.psu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SB2922SG.pdf 

Schulze E (2021) Premarket notice for integral tissue cultured poultry meat. UPSIDE Foods.  https://www.fda.gov/media/163262/download  

Sikora D, Rzymski P (2024) Assessment of the potential nutritional value of cell-cultured chicken meat in light of European dietary recommendations. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. 135:106663. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2024.106663 

South Carolina Code of Laws § 47-17-510 (2019). Prohibition against misleading or deceptive practices, labeling, or misrepresenting product that is cell-cultured meat. https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t47c017.php 

UPSIDE Foods (2023) UPSIDE is approved for sale in the US! Here’s what you need to know. https://upsidefoods.com/blog/upside-is-approved-for-sale-in-the-us-heres-what-you-need-to-know 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2025a) Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells Inventory. https://www.hfpappexternal.fda.gov/scripts/fdcc/index.cfm?set=AnimalCellCultureFoods 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2025b) FDA Completes Pre-Market Consultation for Human Food Made with Cultured Pork Fat Cells. Constituent Update https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-completes-pre-market-consultation-human-food-made-cultured-pork-fat-cells 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2023) FDA Completes Second Pre-Market Consultation for Human Food Made Using Animal Cell Culture Technology. Constituent Updatehttps://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-completes-second-pre-market-consultation-human-food-made-using-animal-cell-culture-technology 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2022) FDA Completes First Pre-Market Consultation for Human Food Made Using Animal Cell Culture Technology. Constituent Updatehttps://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-completes-first-pre-market-consultation-human-food-made-using-animal-cell-culture-technology 

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (2019) Formal Agreement Between FDA and USDA Regarding Oversight of Human Food Produced Using Animal Cell Technology Derived from Cell Lines of USDA-amenable Species. https://www.fda.gov/food/human-food-made-cultured-animal-cells/formal-agreement-between-fda-and-usda-regarding-oversight-human-food-produced-using-animal-cell 

Wyoming Statute § 35-7-119 (2025) Fair packaging and labeling provisions. https://wyoleg.gov/2025/Introduced/SF0084.pdf