Mission Barns receives FDA approval to sell cultivated pork products in the US
USA – Mission Barns, a California-based food technology company, is now the third company in the United States to gain regulatory approval for selling cultivated meat.
The firm has secured a “no questions” letter from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), clearing the way for its cultivated pork fat to enter the market.
This approval makes Mission Barns the first company in the world authorized to sell cultivated pork products.
The company plans to introduce its cell-based fat through hybrid meat products, blending it with plant-based ingredients in items like Italian-style meatballs and applewood-smoked bacon.
These products will be available at Sprouts Farmers Market and San Francisco’s Fiorella restaurant group, marking the first time cultivated meat will be sold in a US grocery store.
The FDA’s letter stated that it found no reason to believe Mission Barns’ production process would lead to food contamination or safety concerns.
The agency acknowledged that the startup’s cultivated pork fat is as safe as conventionally produced meat.
Although this approval is a significant milestone, the company still requires additional clearance from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) before launching its products.
The USDA must approve both the company’s pilot production facility and the labeling of its products.
This development comes at a challenging time for the cultivated meat sector, which has encountered regulatory and financial hurdles in the US.
Over 20 states have introduced bills to limit or prohibit the sale of cultivated meat, and two have successfully enacted such bans.
There are also concerns that with Robert F. Kennedy serving as health secretary, regulatory processes for cell-based meat may become more difficult to navigate.
Expansion Plans and Production Technology
Founded in 2018 by Eitan Fischer, a former executive at Eat Just, Mission Barns produces its cultivated fat using cells from Yorkshire pigs.
The company operates a pilot facility in the Bay Area capable of supplying a limited number of restaurants and retailers.
Mission Barns has developed a bioreactor system designed specifically for growing animal fat and muscle cells more efficiently than traditional biopharma methods.
The company aims to build a larger manufacturing plant featuring bioreactors with capacities in the tens of thousands of liters.
Once operational, the facility is expected to produce tens of millions of pounds of cultivated meat annually.
Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.
