The European Union (EU) has established a new research project aimed at sharing knowledge about cultivated meat and creating a roadmap for its ethical, cost-effective, and sustainable development. The project, Fostering European Cellular Agriculture for Sustainable Transition Solution (FEASTS), is a consortium of 36 universities, startups, and other organizations in the industry, including New Harvest, GOURMEY, CULT Food Science, RESPECTfarms, and ShakeUp Factory.
Employing an interdisciplinary approach spans from farm to table, addressing the perspectives of farmers, aquafarmers, and consumers, and utilizing dynamic system models to learn about the environmental and food value chain impact of cultivated meat.
“We are looking to identify the most sustainable, economically viable technologies, and to establish their place in the European Union’s food system. We want our findings to ultimately serve as a decision support tool for informed policy and decision-making in the EU.” - Marja-Liisa Meurice, Director of EIT Food North and East region and consortium partner at FEASTS
Cultivated meat tastings were approved earlier this year in the Netherlands, making it the first country in the European Union to do so.
FEASTS is one of many consortiums working to promote the regional and global future of food, including Cellular Agriculture Netherlands, Cellular Agriculture Europe, Cellular Agriculture UK, and the Israel Innovation Authority, the world's largest cultivated meat consortium.
Image Credit: FEASTS