German company applies for first EFSA certification
The Heidelberg biotech company The Cultivated B has announced that it has entered the preliminary proceedings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with a cell-cultured sausage product. EFSA certification as a novel food is considered a key requirement for large-scale commercial production. Jens Tuider, Chief Strategy Officer at ProVeg International, speaks of a milestone.
Cellular agriculture concerns innovative companies around the world – and now also the European authorities. “We expect that the first tangible EU approval for cell-cultured meat will provide a significant boost to the growing sector in Europe,” predicts Tuider.
The race has begun
Just in May, the EFSA held a symposium to address the technologies behind cellular agriculture, from cell culture to tissue engineering to precision fermentation. The symposium was held in anticipation of proposals in the coming months and years - proposals like that of The Cultivated B.
"Time is of the essence: Europe should not allow itself to be irrevocably overtaken by Switzerland, the USA or Singapore in this important development,” warns Tuider. In Switzerland, a company submitted its first application for approval in July. U.S. authorities approved two companies for sale in restaurants in June, and a hybrid product containing cell-cultured animal fat has been on sale in Singapore for two years.
The economic opportunities are great
Cellular agriculture allows the production of animal foods in incubators, in other words: without animal husbandry. The EFSA assesses the safety of such novel products for European consumers. In addition to economic, animal welfare and social aspects, this assessment is taken into account in the EU regulatory authorities' decision on market approval.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has also been working on cellular agriculture since 2022. The corresponding technologies are seen as a way to reduce the pressure on finite natural resources.
For example, beef that has been cell-cultured and produced using renewable energy can produce up to 92 percent less CO2emissions caused by conventionally produced products. There are 95 percent savings in space requirements and 78 percent in water requirements. “The application from Heidelberg is wonderful news for Germany as a location for innovation – and promises new, sustainable jobs,” concludes Tuider.
Source: https://proveg.com
