The Cultivated B initiates EFSA certification with pre-submission process for cell-based sausage

Cultivated Meat & Seafood

The Cultivated B initiates EFSA certification with pre-submission process for cell-based sausage

Phoebe Fraser

18 September 2023

The Cultivated B initiates EFSA certification with pre-submission process for cell-based sausage

The Cultivated B (TCB) has begun discussions with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and has officially entered the pre-submission process for novel food approval of a cell-based sausage product.

After the official submission, TCB says it will emerge as world’s first bio-tech company to apply for EFSA certification for cell-based meat. This is a pivotal first step in the evolution of the cell-based meat market and is set to establish a viable path towards large-scale commercial production.

Seth Roberts, policy manager at the GFI Europe, said: “EFSA's Novel Food regulatory approvals process is among the most robust in the world, including a thorough and evidence-based assessment of food safety and nutritional value. For cultivated meat to become available in Europe, where this food was born, would mark a paradigm shift for the sector.”

The cell-based sausage product for which TCB seeks certification is “similar to boiled sausages used in hot dogs” and has been developed in close collaboration with TCB’s sister company, The Family Butchers.

It is a hybrid sausage product made up of vegan ingredients and includes a significant amount of cell-based meat. TCB says that by leveraging the combined expertise of both entities, it ensures that consumers will experience the familiar, delectable taste they love, whilst benefiting from a sustainable and ethically produced product.

TCB CEO Hamid Noori added: "This is more than just a certification process; it’s a testament to our advanced, industrial-scale cellular agriculture technology and also a reflection of our unwavering commitment to usher in a new era of food production – one where health, taste, ethics and sustainability converge seamlessly."

He continued: "The European cultivated meat sector has vast potential and considerable opportunity for growth. As this market gains prominence, our objective is to ensure consistent access to high-quality, sustainable meat for everyone. Attaining EFSA certification is a significant step in this direction.”

Achieving certification by EFSA for TCB’s cultivated sausage will indicate the safety of its cell-based meat products as measured by the highest European standards, whilst also charting the course and laying the groundwork for regulatory approvals worldwide.

This strategic roadmap underscores the company’s determination to lead in the global cell-based meat industry and is set to give hundreds of start-ups in this space a path toward viable and scalable commercialisation, setting new standards in food safety, innovation and accessibility.

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