Framing Food Safety Considerations in Cultured Meat: An Expert Perspective on Barriers and Opportunities

Cellular agriculture is an emerging sector that could significantly impact the future of food production, including meat. While many recent publications discuss the anticipated benefits and limitations of cultured meat (i.e., meat produced through cellular agriculture), research addressing the potential safety hazards associated with its production processes has been limited to date. A formal consultative roadmapping workshop was conducted with 23 food safety experts to identify the barriers, challenges, and short- and long-term research, technological, and policy needs across five thematic areas. Analysis of the discussions showed a consensus on the need for improved cooperation among stakeholders, including industry partners, academia, and regulators. Key activities to strengthen food safety and build consumer trust included increased availability of information on process safety, the establishment of safety standards, and enhanced specifications for ingredients. In addition, the potential for the emergence of novel food safety hazards and the risks posed by spore-forming microorganisms were recurring concerns. Overall, the workshop underscored the urgent need for information sharing among stakeholders to identify and address safety concerns in cultured meat production and for strategic public and private sector investments to facilitate the development of mitigation strategies, workforce training, and large-scale sourcing of ingredients.