Vow, an Australian start-up, has secured clearance from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) to sell cultivated quail meat in the region, subject to ministerial approval.
The Sydney-headquartered startup submitted an application to FSANZ in February 2023, seeking an amendment to the food standards code to allow the company to use cultured quail eggs as a novel food ingredient.
FSANZ approved the draft standards, schedules, and other variations last March 25 and notified the Food Ministers’ Meeting of the decision on April 7.
The food ministers have 60 days to review and respond to the decision.
Should the government approve it, this will make Vow the first company to sell lab-grown meat in the country.
Vow has already been selling its product under the brand “Forged” in specific restaurants in Singapore and Hong Kong before receiving the green light from FSANZ.
“The quail embryonic fibroblast cell line is genetically stable and the microbiological risks associated with sourcing this cell line were minimal,” FSANZ said.
Vow Hopes to Complete Approval Process in June
Meanwhile, a Vow spokesperson said that the company is hoping that the approval process will be fully completed in June.“On April 7, FSANZ announced that its board finalized the food code changes required for Vow’s cultured meat to come to market ... Vow is hoping for the process to be fully complete sometime in June,” a Vow spokesperson told The Epoch Times.
“We look forward to bringing cultured meat to yet another region, this time on our home turf in Australia, where Vow’s journey began.”
Vow revealed that it recently completed the largest production of lab-grown meat ever, creating over one tonne in one month.
“Customers are now enjoying [this cultured meat] at dozens of restaurants across Singapore, our first market where we’ve been selling consistently for over a year,” the spokesperson said.
Non-profit organisation Food Frontier expressed positivity over FSANZ’s decision. Food Frontier primarily advocates for the consumption of alternative proteins for environmental, health, and food security in Australia.
“Vow has long been a trailblazer in the cell-cultured meat space across Australia and New Zealand. George Peppou’s strategy to launch Vow’s Japanese Quail parfait in Singapore first—generating commercial return and customer insights—has no doubt helped the company weather tough financial conditions and primed it for this next step,” Food Frontier President Simon Eassom said.
“By being the first to navigate FSANZ’s approval process for cultivated meat, Vow has effectively acted as a pathfinder—testing Australia’s regulatory framework for cultivated meat and perhaps helping to smooth the way for those who follow.”
