The added microbial risks that come with eating more plant-based foods can usually be mitigated by adjusting recipes or process parameters, although hazard considerations regarding the chemical safety of a diet richer in plant-based materials is more complex. Also, introducing reusable packaging may come with its own set of issues.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has announced a public consultation for an application to amend the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to permit the use of cultured quail cells as a novel food.  

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has published a foresight technical report of the food safety considerations of three novel food sources and production systems: 3D food printing, plant-based foods, new applications of precision fermentation.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently published a guidance that clarifies the definition of and regulatory requirements for simulated meat and poultry products.

On November 16, the Italian Chamber of Deputies voted to pass a law that would ban the sale of cultivated meat in the country.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) recently published a webpage to guide businesses on the authorization process for cell-cultivated food products in England and Wales.

A bill was recently introduced to the Florida legislature that would ban cultivated meat products (also known as “lab-grown meat,” “cell-based meat,” or “cultured meat” products) in the state.

The Real Marketing Edible Artificials Truthfully Act (Real MEAT Act) has been reintroduced to the U.S. Senate, and it would clarify the definition of beef and pork for labeling purposes by requiring alternative proteins to clearly display the word “imitation” on their packaging.

On November 6, 2023, a stakeholder roundtable meeting organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) was held in Shanghai, China to discuss the latest developments in cell-based food production and precision fermentation.

Singaporean officials recently provided an update on the proposed national Food Safety and Security Bill, which was first introduced in 2021 and aims to provide greater clarity on the regulation of novel food innovations, such as cultured meat, while preventing foodborne illness. The country also opened a new National Center for Food Science.