Singapore Approves Lab-Grown Meat

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) granted the initial approval on December 1, 2020, after a rigorous safety review of Eat Just's cultured chicken. This made Singapore the first country in the world to authorize the sale of meat grown in a lab from animal cells. The move is part of Singapore's "30 by 30" initiative, which aims to produce 30% of the nation's food locally by 2030 to enhance food security. The first commercial sale of cultured meat occurred in December 2020 at 1880, a private members' club in Singapore. The initial dishes, including chicken and waffles, were priced similarly to premium conventional chicken. Later, the product became available through the foodpanda delivery platform and at a few hawker stalls on a limited basis. Eat Just's production process involves culturing chicken cells in a bioreactor, similar to brewing beer, and feeding them nutrients derived from plants. In January 2023, the SFA approved the use of a serum-free growth medium, a key step in reducing production costs and scaling up. The environmental impact of lab-grown meat is a subject of debate. Some studies suggest it could significantly reduce land use by up to 95% and water use by 78% compared to conventional beef. However, other research indicates its carbon footprint could be four to 25 times greater than beef if production relies on unrefined, pharmaceutical-grade growth media. The overall sustainability heavily depends on the use of renewable energy in the production process. Consumer reception in Singapore has been generally positive, with one study suggesting that Singaporeans are more open to trying lab-grown meat than Americans, partly due to a cultural trait of wanting to be trailblazers. A survey of potential early adopters found that 71% would order cultivated meat regularly. Following Singapore's lead, the United States approved the sale of cultivated chicken in June 2023. Israel followed suit, approving cultivated beef for sale in January 2024. Several other countries, including the Netherlands and Australia, have also taken steps toward allowing the sale or tasting of cultivated meat products. Despite the initial launch and subsequent expansion to other platforms, Eat Just's Singaporean operations have experienced interruptions. In March 2024, the company paused its production in the city-state, and its products were no longer available at the last restaurant that offered them, Huber's Bistro. The company has stated these pauses are part of its operational strategy and plans to increase production in the future.