Australian Startup to Participate in UK Initiative to Improve Lab-Grown Food Safety

Vow’s parfait and foie gras made from cultured Japanese quail are already being sold in Singapore and Hong Kong, under the brand Forged.

Lab-grown meat is presented in the Disgusting Food Museum in Los Angeles, Calif., on Dec. 6, 2018. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Australian food-tech startup Vow has been selected to participate in the UK’s regulatory sandbox initiative aimed at improving consumer safety and fostering innovation in cell-cultivated foods.

This move places Vow among a group of international companies working to shape the future of alternative proteins.

Cultivated foods, also known as lab-grown or cell-cultured products, are gaining traction as a potential solution to global food security and sustainability challenges.

Unlike traditional meat production, which relies on animal farming, cultivated meat is grown from animal cells in a controlled environment, reducing the need for land, water, and feed while potentially lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

With increasing concerns over climate change and food supply chains, this emerging industry has attracted attention from governments and regulators worldwide.

The UK’s initiative aims to establish clear guidelines for cultivated food safety while encouraging innovation.

What Is the UK’s Regulatory Sandbox?

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) launched the regulatory sandbox to facilitate collaboration between scientists, regulatory bodies, and industry leaders.

This initiative is designed to collect scientific data and shape future policies on cultivated foods.

Key academic partners include the University of Bath’s Cellular Agriculture Manufacturing Hub (CARMA), the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC), and the Bezos Centre for Sustainable Protein.

Vow is joined by other cultivated food companies, including Hoxton Farms, BlueNalu, and Roslin Technologies.

“By supporting the safe development of cell-cultivated products, we’re giving businesses the confidence to innovate and accelerating the UK’s position as a global leader in sustainable food production,” said UK’s Science Minister Patrick Vallance.

“This work will not only help bring new products to market faster, but strengthen consumer trust, supporting our Plan for Change and creating new economic opportunities across the country.”

Vow’s Global Expansion–But Not Yet in Australia

Vow has already achieved international recognition, securing approvals in Singapore and Hong Kong to sell its cultivated Japanese quail parfait and foie gras under the brand Forged.

However, Vow has yet to gain approval in its home country. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is still reviewing its application to sell cultivated quail products in Australia.

FSANZ’s initial assessment found no safety concerns, but instead of approving cultivated quail as a novel food outright, the agency is considering a standards-based approach.

This would allow not just Vow’s products but any future cultivated food to be sold, provided they pass a pre-market safety assessment.

To ensure transparency for consumers, FSANZ is also recommending clear labelling, with terms like “cell-cultured” or “cell-cultivated” on the packaging.

Public consultations on Vow’s application closed on Dec. 24, 2024, and FSANZ is now reviewing feedback before making a final decision.

If approved, Australia could join a growing list of countries embracing cultivated foods as part of their future food supply.