The Food and Drug Administration has given approval to two American companies to sell chicken and beef that were literally cultured in a laboratory.
Regarded as the first of its kind, Upside Foods and Good Meat had received FAD approval stating that their cultivated chicken and beef are safe to eat.
In the same vein, the approval from the US Department of Agriculture means that their products could go on sale.
According to Upside Foods website, the feat was made possible through financial support from financiers such as Bill Gates, Cargill, Kimbal Musk, Richard Branson, and Threshold.
Winners of a social media contest were the first diners to try the cultivated chicken at the San Francisco-based restaurant, Bar Crenn.
The chicken was fried in a tempura batter, and served with a burnt chili aioli and other greens and edible flowers – served in a black ceramic dish.
“It represents a giant leap towards a world where people no longer have to choose between the foods they love and a thriving planet,” said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of Upside.
“I can’t wait for more people to get their first bite – it’s a magical moment that inspires an exciting world of new possibilities.”
Upside Foods and Good Meat are among the many companies working to bring lab-grown, “slaughter-free” meat and other foods to market, with support from influential figures like Bill Gates.
The lab-grown meat is not technically vegetarian or vegan because it is still made from cells of living animals.
Good Meat is also set to bring its cultivated chicken to customers this year at China Chilcano restaurant in Washington, DC, according to CNN.
