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On 14 November, the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Development Law Service joined the International Bar Association (IBA) webinar “Cultivated Meat: Opportunities and Challenges”. This event brought together experts to discuss cultivated meat, also referred to as cell-based or lab-grown meat, which represents an innovative approach to food production.

The webinar explored the legal and scientific dimensions of cultivated meat, emphasizing both its potential benefits and challenges. The discussion featured the following speakers:

• Jan Holthuis, Attorney at Buren NV, The Hague, Netherlands (co-moderator)
• Nora von Bergen, Legal Counsel at Food Lex, Bern, Switzerland (co-moderator)
• Maarten van der Heijden, International Legal Specialist, FAO, Geneva, Switzerland
• Mark Post, Chief Scientific Officer, Mosa Meat, Maastricht, The Netherlands
• Michael Roberts, Professor of Food Law, Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy, UCLA, Los Angeles, U.S.A.
• Tanvi Pande, Principal Associate, Dentons Link Legal, Mumbai, India

The scientific aspects

FAO’s Work on Cell-Based and Precision Fermentation-Derived Food

FAO actively engages in advancing safe cell-based and precision fermentation-derived food systems. Cell-based food production uses cells from animals, plants, or microorganisms to create food products that are often analogous to conventional animal products, such as meat, dairy, and eggs. Precision fermentation employs microorganisms to produce specific components like proteins, enzymes, or bioactive substances through controlled systems. Both are new production methods.

FAO fosters knowledge exchange and addresses food safety regulatory and safety considerations in this area. Initiatives include publications such as the 2023 Food Safety Aspects of Cell-Based Food report and regional stakeholder meetings in, for instance Israel, China, and Canada.

The legal aspects

FAO is currently preparing a report titled “Regulatory Frameworks for Cell-Based Food and Precision Fermentation-Derived Food Products: An Overview of Legal Issues and Solutions”, projected for release in Q1-2 2025. This report will examine international, regional, and national legal frameworks, identifying gaps and proposing solutions to address challenges in food safety, market entry, labelling and consumer protection.

Preliminary findings and draft conclusions were presented at the webinar. These included that the existing laws and regulations on food safety  are largely adequate for cell-based and precision fermentation. However, while legal frameworks that require pre-marketing approval or similar measures for New Food and Production Systems (NFSP) and Genetically Modified (GM) food regulations appear to be fit for purpose,  further study is required to address specific issues such as clarification by authorities on the applicability of existing legal frameworks.

You can hear more about the report in the recording and trends in various countries in the recording of the webinar at the IBA Website.