The Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) is set to host a conference called the Cell-Ag-READY Dialogue from November 13 to 14.
The event aims to bring international developments in regulatory science to the attention of Japan’s administrative stakeholders. It is organized around three pillars that could help to create a Cell-Ag-READY society — regulatory science, innovation, and communication to bridge the two.
The conference will feature lectures and panel discussions by experts from Japan and abroad, including speakers from companies such as Hoxton Farms, Roslin Technologies, and BlueNalu. There will also be company booths, offering further networking opportunities.
Expert insights on safety, regulation, and consumer perspectives
On Day 1, there will be presentations from academic experts, including those from the National Institute of Health Sciences and Tokyo University of Agriculture, who are advising the government on risk assessment methodologies for novel foods. A detailed panel will also bring together international experts from regions such as Singapore, the United States, Europe, Australia, and China to discuss critical issues related to safety and regulatory approval of cultivated foods.
Day 2 will shift focus to consumer perspectives, with contributions from Japanese consumer organizations, Wagyu producers, and experts addressing misinformation risks surrounding new food technologies. International experts from organizations such as the Good Food Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, Roslin Technologies, and Hoxton Farms will also share insights into the future of cellular agriculture.
Regulatory framework for cultivated foods
It was recently announced that Japan’s Consumer Affairs Agency is developing a regulatory framework for cultivated foods, with discussions centered around safety procedures, risk management, and the potential release of sales guidelines. The conference will take place ahead of the finalization of this framework, which is expected by the end of the fiscal year.
Discussions held at the event may inform the content of the upcoming guidelines. As a result, international experts are strongly encouraged to attend.
Last year, JACA released a report analyzing international trends in the safety and regulatory assessment of cultivated meat. The intention was to align Japan’s safety assessment criteria for cultivated foods with international standards, while involving global experts in refining these criteria and addressing the domestic shortage of knowledgeable food safety professionals.
“As the next step, JACA plans to propose safety assessment criteria for Japanese regulatory authorities that achieve both international harmonization and optimization under domestic regulations based on this report,” said JACA’s Representative Director, Megumi Avigail Yoshitomi, at the time.
