The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has opened submissions for companies to express interest in its sandbox program for cell-based food safety. Submissions must be completed by November 28, 2024.

Announced in October, FSA was awarded £1.6 million in funding from the Government’s Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund (EBSF) to launch an innovative sandbox program to ensure the safety of cell-cultivated foods. For the two-year sandbox program, FSA is recruiting a team to gather scientific evidence on cell-cultured foods and the technology used for their production. The findings will help FSA guide industry in safely producing these foods and demonstrating their safety. The program will also enable FSA to process cell-based food applications more quickly and better support businesses in bringing their products to market.

FSA is specifically seeking between five and eight companies to directly participate in the sandbox. These companies may be UK-based or based outside the UK with a strong interest in the UK market. FSA aims to notify companies if they have been chosen to participate by the end of 2024.