UPSIDE Foods Returns to Court to Challenge Florida’s Cultivated Meat Ban
In August of last year, cultivated chicken producer UPSIDE Foods joined forces with the Institute for Justice to file a lawsuit against Florida’s cultivated meat ban. As reported by Courthouse News Service, UPSIDE claims that Florida cannot impose limits on interstate trade due to the US Constitution’s Commerce Clause. The company says only the federal government can regulate poultry products under the Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA). In April of …
New Roundtable Will Discuss Creation of a Pan-European Regulatory Sandbox for Food Biomanufacturing
Think-and-do tank the Ministry of Future Affairs is preparing to host a policy roundtable to discuss a brief titled Closing the European Food Innovation Gap! A Framework for a Pan-European Regulatory Sandbox for Emerging Foods. The event will take place at the European Parliament in Brussels on November 12 between 13:00 and 15:00. It will be hosted in collaboration with Future Affairs Consulting and Enterprise Estonia. The roundtable will feature …
Abu Dhabi to Develop Regulatory Framework for Novel Foods Such as Cultivated Proteins
The Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) has partnered with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) and the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) to develop a regulatory framework for novel foods. The strategic initiative aims to establish a comprehensive, streamlined registration system aligned with a range of international best practices. It will reduce the registration period for novel foods by six to nine months. The framework …
UPSIDE Foods & Wildtype Sue Texas for Banning Cultivated Meat
Cultivated meat company UPSIDE Foods and cultivated seafood producer Wildtype have partnered with the Institute for Justice (IJ) to file a federal lawsuit against the state of Texas for banning cultivated meat. Texas’ law, SB 261, went into effect on September 1 and imposes a total ban on the sale of cultivated meat in Texas. Penalties for violation include fines of up to $25,000 per day and even jail time. …
Government Actions in the Alternative Protein Industry: Key Developments in H1 2025
The alternative protein industry continues to draw attention from governments worldwide, with a mix of investment support and regulatory measures shaping its growth. The data in this article, compiled by Nicholas Dahl, founder and CEO of Alternative Proteins Global, reflects actions taken by governments in the first half of 2025, impacting companies working in alternative protein technologies. This update focuses on direct government involvement and regulatory actions. Investments & funding …
Japan Prepares to Release Interim Guidelines for Cultivated Food Safety
Japan’s regulatory framework for cultivated foods is in development, with discussions centered around safety procedures, risk management, and the potential release of sales guidelines. The Consumer Affairs Agency’s Food Safety Standards Council, Subcommittee on Newly Developed Foods, is working toward these guidelines, with a draft expected as early as this summer. The Subcommittee, primarily guided by a working group from the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), has been reviewing …
Austria Presents Petition to Ban Cultivated Meat at European Parliament
The Chambers of Agriculture of the Austrian states of Carinthia and Styria have presented a petition against cultivated meat at the European Parliament’s Petitions Committee. Called “Lab Meat? No, thank you!”, the petition has gained almost 70,000 signatures and was presented in person by Andreas Steinegger and Siegfried Huber, presidents of the agricultural chambers of Styria and Carinthia respectively. They claim that their intention is to protect farms and maintain …
European Parliament Report Acknowledges Strategic Importance of Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing
Yesterday, the European Parliament voted on a report on the future of the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sectors. The report acknowledges the importance of these sectors across various EU policy priorities, including sustainability, economic security, food security, and public health. It calls for targeted investments in strategic biotech applications, including food biotechnology, along with a policy framework to promote innovation, investment, and sustainable growth. According to the report, biotechnology and …
UK to Provide Direct Support for Cell-Cultivated Food Companies Through New Pilot Service
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), in collaboration with Food Standards Scotland (FSS), has introduced a pilot support service aimed at assisting companies in the cell-cultivated food sector with the UK market authorisation process. This initiative responds to the increasing number of companies working to bring cell-cultivated products to market, which include foods like cell-grown chicken fillets and beef burgers. The service is designed to provide guidance to businesses throughout the …
Texas Joins Growing List of States Enacting Cultivated Meat Bans
On June 23, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott of Texas signed Senate Bill 261 into law, effectively prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and distribution of cell-cultured protein products for human consumption within the state. The bill, which will take effect on September 1, 2025, also makes it a Class A misdemeanor offense to offer or sell such products, with penalties escalating to a state jail felony for repeat offenders. The law defines …