As Florida prepares to implement its ban on "lab-grown" meat next week, Upside Foods, a California-based company, held a farewell tasting event in Miami.
Dozens of guests gathered Thursday evening at a rooftop venue in Wynwood, a vibrant city known for its street art, breweries, nightlife, and popular dining spots.
A nugget made from lab-grown chicken meat is seen during a media presentation in Singapore, the first country to allow the sale of meat created without slaughtering any animals, on December 22, 2020. (Photo : NICHOLAS YEO/AFP via Getty Images)
Upside Foods Celebrates 'Lab-Grown' Meat in Florida
Florida's impending prohibition on "lab-grown" or cultured meat prompted a final celebration by Upside Foods, which hosted a cultivated meat-tasting event in Miami.
The Associated Press reported that the California-based "lab-grown" meat maker welcomed numerous guests at the event in Wynwood. Upside Foods CEO and founder Uma Valeti expressed satisfaction with the taste of their product while emphasizing the importance of consumer choice in food selection.
In June last year, the US approved the sale of "cell-cultivated" or "cell-cultured" meat, marking a milestone for companies like Upside Foods and Good Meat in offering cultivated chicken to consumers.
Chef Mika Leon, who owns Caja Caliente in Coral Gables, prepared the cultivated chicken served at the event. This gathering aimed to introduce cultivated meat to Florida residents before the upcoming ban takes effect on July 1.
Leon crafted chicken tostadas garnished with avocado, chipotle crema, and beet sprouts, providing attendees with a unique tasting experience.
Earlier this year, Florida and Alabama enacted bans on selling cultivated meat and seafood derived from animal cells. Concerns have arisen among lawmakers in various states and at the federal level, who argue that these products could adversely affect traditional farmers and pose potential safety risks to consumers.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was joined by local cattle ranchers in May when he signed the ban into law. However, Valeti expressed disappointment that his company was not consulted before the legislation was passed.
Valeti emphasized the need for direct communication to clarify the benefits and safety of their technology, which he believes policymakers have misunderstood.
Cultivated products are produced in stainless steel tanks using cells from living animals, fertilized eggs, or cell banks. These cells are nourished with a unique blend of water, sugar, vitamins, and fats.
Once fully grown, they are molded into various forms, such as cutlets and nuggets. Despite concerns about animal welfare, Valeti noted that cultivated meat addresses numerous health and environmental issues associated with traditional meat production, such as deforestation, pollution, and disease transmission.
He noted that their meat is produced in facilities resembling breweries or dairy processing plants, where healthy animal cells grow in controlled environments, not from lab experiments or confined animals. However, despite efforts to scale production and reduce costs, cultivated meat and seafood remain prohibitively expensive for widespread market adoption.
While a few upscale US restaurants briefly offered these products, they have yet to appear in grocery stores nationwide. In response to recent bans, companies are considering legal challenges and petitioning for policy changes to facilitate their entry into the market.
Sean Edgett, the chief legal officer at Upside Foods, noted that the company underwent an extensive process with the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration to gain approval. He argued that these federal regulations should take precedence over state bans, which he views as unconstitutional.
