Switzerland: first application for European approval by Israeli cultured meat company

Aleph Farms, an Israeli company at the forefront of the production of cultured meat, has submitted a regulatory approval dossier in Switzerland, marking the first application for European approval. The request has been submitted to the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (USAV), and if approved, would lead to the sale of the first meat-based products grown on European soil. Aleph Farms plans to launch its products in Singapore and Israel later this year, pending regulatory approval.    

The collaboration with Migros, Switzerland’s largest food enterprise, has been instrumental in assessing Switzerland’s specific regulatory approval process. Aleph Farms is convinced that all the conditions are present for the cultivated meat to arrive in Swiss restaurants and supermarkets in a year's time.    

Aleph Farms and Migros carried out a survey, according to which 74% of respondents would be willing to taste the new products, both out of curiosity and to contribute to reducing the impact associated with meat consumption and have a more sustainable diet.    

The fact that Aleph Farms submitted the dossier in Bern, Switzerland, and not in Brussels, European Union, should not come as a surprise. Although there have been states like the Netherlands and Spain that are investing heavily in the cultured meat sector, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has not yet disclosed the protocols necessary for approval, effectively paralyzing the whole sector. On the contrary, Switzerland, which also requires detailed and statistically robust data like the EU before granting approval to a novel food, has provided very clear models for the authorization application, which Aleph Farms was able to comply with. The evaluation will take several months (about 12).    

The two companies are working together to develop a go-to-market strategy for the product, including distribution and commercialization through fine dining food service channels in Switzerland. The country’s affinity for innovation and quality-conscious attitude towards food further contributes to cultivated meat’s growing momentum worldwide.    

Switzerland's clear and unambiguous indications on what must be presented to obtain approval have provided a model for the European Food Safety Authority to follow.        

 

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Aleph Farms