Cultured foie gras applications made in five markets

The arrival of cultured foods on these shores moved a step closer this week as Gourmey filed an application with the UK Food Standards Agency for authorisation of its cultured foie gras.

The Paris-based start-up has also filed applications for its cell-based pâté with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), the Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (FSVO), and the European Commission (EC) and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). This is reportedly the first such application submitted to the EU.

‍Regulators worldwide have established, or are establishing, robust regulatory frameworks to assess the safety of novel foods such as cultivated foods, with the US, Singapore and Israel having already approved their sale. 

Gourmey does not use gene-edited or genetically-modified cells, so its application falls in scope of the novel food regulation. A dossier in accordance with the relevant regulations and EFSA guidance – which some see as the gold standard and others feel is slowing innovation in this space – has been prepared.

“We are confident that our products will meet these highly demanding standards, so that everyone who wants to can enjoy new gourmet experiences all around the world,” said Gourmey CEO Nicolas Morin-Forest.

‍Foie gras, made from the bloated liver of force-fed ducks or geese, has attracted increasing criticism over animal welfare concerns. Production in the UK is banned under animal welfare laws but products can still be imported. Labour has however promised to ban imports.

Morin-Forest said there is “thrilling commercial traction” for the new product in many regions where chefs want to keep serving high-quality foie gras. “Starting with haute-cuisine acts as a catalyst for our future product launches, with chefs serving as the best ambassadors to introduce new product categories to consumers and drive sustainability,” he added.

‍A study led by the University of Helsinki, commissioned by Gourmey and focusing on scaled up production levels, shows the company’s technology “significantly lowers” the environmental footprint compared to conventional production of foie gras. In particular, greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use would be reduced. 

‍In Gourmey’s cultivation process, no animal-derived components, such as fetal bovine serum, are used. 

“It’s really not about replacing anything, but it’s actually about complementing the current offer,” Nicolas Morin-Forest, CEO of Gourmey, said in an interview with Politico.