Alternative Proteins

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) have published a joint scientific review on novel food sources and production systems, such as edible insects, cell-based foods, plant-based proteins, and other products.

The European Commission has updated its internal guidance document on the implementation of its regulations on the hygiene of food of animal origin, to clarify how cultivated meat, insects, and other foods for which no detailed requirements are established should be regulated in accordance with the provision’s requirements.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed Senate Bill 1084 into law, becoming the first U.S. state to ban the sale of cell-based meat (also known as “cultivated” or “lab-grown” meat).

The Alabama House of Representatives recently passed Senate Bill 23 banning the production or sale of cell-based meat products in the state. The bill has been returned to the Senate for concurrence.

West Virginia passed a bill known as the Truth in Food Labeling Act, restricting the language that can be used on labels for cell-based meats, plant-based meat alternatives, and other “analogue products,” such as insect-based foods. The bill awaits the Governor’s signature.

A recent study has demonstrated the food safety concern of microplastics contamination in cell-based seafood.

The French government has issued a decree that would ban the use of “meaty” descriptor terms for plant-based meat alternative products produced in the country, with the aim of tackling misleading food labels.

A recent study has mapped the edible insect supply chain to identify the main points for potential food safety hazards and food fraud, and concluded that, in general, substantial food safety and authenticity gaps need to be addressed before edible insects can be considered safe and sustainable protein sources for Western markets.

The rapid rise of plant-based meat alternatives means that knowledge of the food safety risks of these products is still limited. In particular, microbial growth and inactivation kinetics is not well understood. Additionally, consumers face a learning curve in understanding how to safely handle plant-based meat alternatives. 

The School Lunch Integrity Act of 2024, sponsored by Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Jon Tester (D-MT), would ban cell-cultivated meat from use in school meals.