FDA nod for human consumption of lab-grown meat

Lab-grown chicken passed the first hurdle needed to bring the product to US supermarkets and dinner tables.

The US Food & Drug Administration has for the first time given the green light to meat grown from cells. The regulator indicated Wednesday that the cultivated chicken product by Californian startup Upside Foods is safe to eat.

"Advancements in cell culture technology are enabling food developers to use animal cells obtained from livestock, poultry, and seafood in the production of food, with these products expected to be ready for the U.S.

market in the near future," the FDA said. It added that it's ready to work with additional firms developing cultured meat to ensure their products are "safe and lawful." It's already possible to purchase some types of lab-grown meat in the world. Two years ago, Singapore became the first nation to approve the sale of cultivated meat - a chicken nugget product made by Eat Just.