Australia and New Zealand’s alt protein think tank Food Frontier announces that the cultivated meat company Vow is closer to receiving novel foods approval to produce and sell a cultivated quail product in both countries.
Earlier this year, Vow became the first Australian cultivated meat company to apply for regulatory approval. And now, after months of scientific and safety assessment of the product and its manufacturing method, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has concluded that Vow’s cultivated quail is safe to eat.
“The ultimate success of Vow’s application will pave the way for Australia and New Zealand to take a lead“
FSANZ is now sharing its findings as part of the public consultation process, allowing consumers to provide feedback on Vow’s cultivated quail in the next six weeks. In its call for public submissions, FSANZ proposes several labelling requirements for cell-based products to avoid consumer confusion with conventional meat and encourages the public to assist in further consideration of the application.
It is worth noting that the FSANZ evaluates each novel food product independently, approving cultivated meat products separately.
Food Frontier’s Executive Director, Dr. Simon Eassom, shared: “Public confidence around the introduction of novel food categories is always a vital step in gaining acceptance. The ultimate success of Vow’s application will pave the way for Australia and New Zealand to take a lead in this exciting new era of food production.”
Australian launch in 2024
Vow’s cultivated quail originates from cells of the rare Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica, grown without animal-derived additives and antibiotics to provide a slaughter-free alternative.
In 2022, Vow raised $49.2 million to scale production and be ready to launch the product in Australia by end 2024 after receiving approval from the FSANZ. The company has a factory in Sydney — claimed as the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.
According to Food Frontier, the approval of cultivated meat in Australia and New Zealand could lead to investments and innovation in the field, attracting companies to establish production facilities in the region and propelling the alt protein industry. In addition, such approval could promote economic growth and advancements in the much-needed protein diversification of the food system.
The region’s cultivated meat sector is projected to be worth AUD$945 billion by 2040. Vow, Magic Valley, and the Singaporean biotech Shiok Meats already work in Australia’s cell ag ecosystem.
The potential of cultivated meat
By 2030, the global value of cultivated meat could reach up to $25 billion, with the alternative proteins sector contributing $1.1 trillion to the global economy and generating up to 10 million new jobs by 2050, according to McKinsey & Company.
GOOD Meat’s cultivated chicken has been approved in Singapore since 2020, and the USA’s FDA approved cell-cultivated chicken by GOOD Meat and UPSIDE Foods last year. Investments in cultivated meat technologies and developments have significantly increased in both countries, creating a solid ecosystem.
“Cultivated meat is one of the three pillars of alternative protein production with the potential to provide significant protein sources without the impacts that our current food systems have on the atmosphere, water use and eutrophication, as well as land use and the deforestation required to produce feedstock,” added Eassom.
