Lab-grown chicken on the menu in Singapore

Singapore approves new chicken meat - 11th January 2021

Singapore has recently approved the world’s first sales of meat that does not come directly from animals.

The decision means that a San Francisco-based company called Eat Just is now allowed to sell lab-grown chicken meat. The meat will initially be used to make chicken nuggets, but there has been no announcement yet about when they will reach supermarket shelves. According to the company, no antibiotics are used in the process, and the meat has lower microbiological content than standard chicken.

Demand for alternatives to regular meat has risen enormously due to consumer concerns about health, animal welfare and the environment. ‘Meat’ options which are based on plants, like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, are increasingly found on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. However, Eat Just’s product is different because it is not plant-based. Instead, it is grown from animal muscle cells in a laboratory.

Over the last decade, several new companies have attempted to bring cultured meat to the market, hoping to tempt everyday meat eaters with the promise of a product which is more ethical. The boss of Eat Just called it "one of the most significant milestones in the food industries" but certain barriers remain.

Producing lab-grown meat is much more costly than plant-based products. Eat Just previously said its lab-grown chicken nuggets would retail at $50 each. While the cost has since come down, it will still be as expensive as high-quality chicken. Another challenge for the company is the reaction of consumers.

According to Barclays Bank, the market for meat substitutes could climb to $140bn (£104bn) within the next decade, or about 10% of the $1.4tn global meat industry. And Singapore's approval of Eat Just's product may well encourage other countries to adopt clean meat too.