Cult Food Science subsidiary submits trial design for cultured meat in pet food to FDA

09 Aug 2024 --- Further Foods, a subsidiary of cell-based meat firm Cult Food Science, has submitted a trial design for lab-grown chicken in pet food to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The company anticipates a response from the FDA for the approval of the feeding trial design in around 45 days. It aims to start feeding trials in Q4 2024.

The protocol for Further Foods’ first-of-its-kind feeding trial to scientifically validate cultivated chicken in dog food products has been officially completed and submitted to the FDA. Further Foods aims to start feeding trials in Q4 2024, pending approval of the protocol from the FDA.

Mitchell Scott, CEO of Cult Food Science, says: “Completing and submitting the feeding trial design to the FDA is a critical step toward bringing cultivated meat to the pet food market. A successful trial could significantly change the landscape of pet food, offering nutritional, environmental and ethical benefits for pet owners.”

The trial is anticipated to be a 26-week, minimally invasive study involving 30 healthy, adult dogs of various breeds and ages. It will monitor feed intake data, hematology, serum biochemistry, urinalysis, weight, fecal analysis and digestibility factors to ensure the inclusion of cell-cultivated meat is safe for the animals.

Further Foods has partnered with leading vet nutritionist Dr. Sarah Dodd to ensure the feeding trial design meets all FDA requirements.

As far as the company is aware, Further Foods is the only company currently in dialogue with the FDA about feeding trials for a cultivated chicken dog treat.

Noochies!, a brand under Cult Food Science, aims to be the first to market cultivated meat pet food in North America.

In the UK, Meatly recently received UK regulatory clearance to sell cultivated meat for pet food.