Meat Institute Calls for Mandatory Labeling of Cell-Based Products

Two meat industry groups urge the Department of Agriculture to support mandatory labeling of cell-based/cultured meat and poultry products. The Meat Institute and the Alliance for Meat, Poultry and Seafood Innovation penned the request in a letter to USDA Monday (Oct. 19, 2020). The groups also call on USDA to solicit input on what that labeling should look like through an Advance Notice of Public Rulemaking. Under a joint framework for regulation of cell-based/cultured meat, poultry and seafood products, the two agencies will work together to ensure the safety and labeling of cell-based/cultured meat and poultry products. Among other provisions of the framework, FSIS will have oversight of cell-based/cultured meat and poultry labeling, as it does for all meat and poultry sold in the United States. The FDA will oversee cell-based/cultured seafood labeling, as it does for most seafood sold in the United States. In a recent public presentation, the agencies committed to joint principles for product labeling and labeling claims.