Tasting farmed meat will be legal in the Netherlands in a few weeks, allowing researchers, experts and journalists to sample slaughter-free meat.
Despite the first ever farmed meat cuts being produced in the Netherlands, it’s still illegal for anyone – even scientists developing the products – to taste them. This created a problem for Dutch companies such as Mosa Meat and Meatable; “Taste” currently has to be done with computer software, which cannot always accurately simulate human taste.
Politicians have been calling for the change for years, and a proposal to allow tastings was passed in the House of Representatives in 2022. But approval from the cabinet was still needed, and according to RTL Nieuws, it has finally been granted. The first tasting is expected to take place in the fall.
Regulatory approval
While the change in law is a welcome step, full regulatory approval – which would allow farmed meat to be sold commercially – is probably still a distant possibility. The process is lengthy, requiring a risk assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) with final approval from the European Commission and representatives of all EU member states.
However, EFSA recently held an event to review the latest information on farmed meat following regulatory approval of farmed products by UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat in the US. This may indicate that the authorities are looking to adopt a more innovative approach to regulation.
“Finally, after five years, [cultivated meat tastings] It seems to have been reached,” Dutch MP Tejard de Groot told RTL News. “Once, the Netherlands was a pioneer, then we let it go a bit and I hope we can catch up.”