The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a US safety agency, has approved cell-cultured chickens after conducting a “careful evaluation.” The company Upside Foods created them in steel tanks using live animal cells. But before Upside Foods can market its products, it needs to get through a number of challenges, like getting regulatory clearance for the production plant. The statement was nonetheless described by the company’s founder and CEO, Uma Valeti, as “a watershed moment in the history of food.” The FDA claimed that their decision was based on the data and information provided by the company and that they have no other questions at this time.

Numerous growing food companies are creating similar products that have the potential to significantly cut water and carbon emissions while also creating more room for natural habitats. Eating these foods, according to scientists, might lower environmental pressures by more than 80% when compared to the typical European diet. According to forecasts, the global meat market will be increasingly dominated by cultured meat products. The FDA’s approval of Upside Foods was, according to Ernst van Orsouw, CEO of Scottish food technology business Roslin Technologies, a “huge milestone” for the industry. He continued by saying that this move will encourage more investment and innovation in the field of cultured foods.