The guidance, produced through the Cell-Cultivated Products Sandbox Programme, is the second batch of publications from the Department of Science and Technology (DSIT)-funded initiative, which runs until February 2027.
The FSA said that the guidance was designed to give businesses the regulatory clarity they need to invest in and develop innovative food products with confidence, while ensuring that consumer safety remains the cornerstone of any route to market.
The published guidance:
- Food business hygiene requirements for cell-cultivated products
- Supplementary guidance on identity, production and microbiology
- Improving your cell-cultivated product application
- Novel food taste trials supplementary information
Dr Thomas Vincent, deputy director of innovation at the Food Standards Agency, commented: “Cell-cultivated products represent a genuinely new frontier for the food industry, and we want businesses to have the clearest possible picture of what is required to bring safe products to market.
“This guidance reflects the knowledge we have built through engagement with industry and academia through the Sandbox, and is designed to make the path to authorisation more transparent and efficient. Consumer safety is non-negotiable, and these documents are ultimately about reducing barriers for emerging food technologies without compromising on safety standards.”
“This guidance provides practical support that helps innovative companies move forward, backed by a science-led approach that protects public health.”
Professor Susan Jebb, chair of the FSA, stated: “Developments in the innovative food sector can support a healthier and more resilient food system while also contributing to the UK Government’s ambitions for a growing, modern economy. But that potential will only be realised if businesses have the regulatory clarity to invest and the confidence to scale-up. This guidance provides practical support that helps innovative companies move forward, backed by a science-led approach that protects public health.”
