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Cell-based food and precision fermentation – Products, safety and the future role

Stakeholder roundtable meeting report, Shanghai, China, 6 November 2023

Year of publication 2024

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 44 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Booklet

Synopsis (short abstract) As the global demand for proteins and specific nutrients grows, many people are looking into opportunities to expand the scope of diverse and sustainable sources of such nutrients. Food safety is one of the prominent key issues to ascertain before such products go into the market, and various competent authorities are working to identify and address potential food safety issues and their implications. After the first stakeholder meeting on cell-based food organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the Government of Israel, many experts suggested that FAO maintain such dialogues to regularly update the knowledge of this fast-improving technology. This led to the stakeholder meeting organized by FAO jointly with the Government of China in November 2023, which considered precision fermentation besides cell-based food. The present report summarized the results of the meeting attended by a total of 55 participants in Shanghai, China on 6 November 2023. The meeting provided a snapshot of the state of development of these particular technologies and the industry in 2023. As an increasing number of countries are reviewing the regulatory applications, valid examples of how to assess product safety have become available. All participants recognized that open discussions between stakeholders and regulators are key when it comes to clarifying important aspects of food safety, and that supporting the relevant scientific innovations is vital for achieving the overall food security goals and sustainable food production for the future.

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2024. Cell-based food and precision fermentation – Products, safety and the future role. Stakeholder roundtablemeeting report, Shanghai, China, 6 November 2023. Rome.

https://doi.org/10.4060/cd0311en

Language English

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