Czech cultivated meat startup Bene Meat Technologies (BMT) has unveiled what it describes as a cutting-edge cell bank, for the long-term supply of cells for cultivating different meat products.
Developed over extensive research, the cell bank grants access to a sufficient quantity and variety of cells for research and production. It holds over 5,000 samples of high-quality primary cells from various species taken from small tissue samples, minimizing animal impact.
“The cell bank is a crucial element in our effort to produce meat in an ethical and sustainable way”
The company explains that due to standardized processes, it delivers optimal preservation, ensuring purity and stability. Additionally, the facility has secure systems to safeguard sample continuity and safety, even in emergencies.
Ing. Zuzana Šaturová, manager of the cell bank, shared, “The cell bank is a crucial element in our effort to produce meat in an ethical and sustainable way. In our research and production, we mainly use primary cells directly sourced from small tissue samples, ensuring both high quality and an ethical approach.”
Cultivated pet food for the EU market
Founded in 2020, BMT specializes in cultivating meat for the feed industry, however the startup continues to develop technologies to cultivate meat at an industrial scale for human consumption.
Last November, the company self-registered with the European Feed Materials Register to commercialize a cultivated ingredient in the EU market. And, in May 2023, the company showcased what it claimed to be the EU’s first cultivated pet food product at the 2024 Interzoo Fair in Nuremberg, Germany.
At the time, the company said it was working to scale production to launch a product by year’s end and that it was planning to develop other high-quality pet food offerings.
Expanding to the USA
Now BMT is also expanding overseas. The company also announced that it has submitted a safety dossier to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of the regulatory process to launch a cultivated pet food product on the US market.
“This brings us closer to offering American pet owners a groundbreaking new option for their furry friends”
To our knowledge, the FDA has yet to approve any cultivated ingredient for pet food. The US pet food brand Noochies! has initiated the first steps of the regulatory process by completing and submitting a feeding trial protocol for dogs to the FDA. These trials aim to ensure that the cultivated ingredient is safe and nutritious for dogs.
“We recently submitted our safety dossier to the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). This brings us closer to offering American pet owners a groundbreaking new option for their furry friends.
“Our innovative pet food is designed to provide a healthier, more ethical, and sustainable alternative to traditional meat-based diets,” the company shared on social media.
