​​Canadian Consumers Show Growing Interest in Cultivated Meat, Report Finds

Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) and Fiddlehead Technologies have collaborated on a new report that offers insights into the potential acceptance of cultivated meat in Canada. The study compares the progress of the cultivated meat industry in Canada to its US counterpart and shares findings on consumers’ interests. 

Canadian consumers show growing interest

The report has revealed that Canadian consumers’ interest in cultivated meat has jumped dramatically since 2000. According to the report, Canadian consumers increasingly searched for “lab-grown meat”, including its production process and availability for purchase. In contrast, US consumers primarily searched for information about its safety and the FDA’s approval approvals for cultivated chicken. The report highlights that curiosity does not mean adoption and explains that historically in the US novel foods are adopted faster than in Canada.

According to the report, food scientists and engineers worldwide are diving into cultivated meat and its technology. Over the past five years, a staggering 22,800 research papers have been published. Topics range from sustainability impact reports to cell line establishment, to biomanufacturing capacity to mackerel muscle cell lines.

Number of companies

The US has 43 active cultivated meat or seafood companies. In Canada, companies such as Cell Ag Tech (seafood), Noblegen, Appleton Meats, Opalia (formerly Bettermilk), Evolved Meats, Seafuture, and Genuine Taste are actively working in the cell ag space, reports the study.

Additionally, patent applications for cell meat technologies have been filed in both countries. While the US takes the lead with 596 applications, Canada has submitted  22 applications.

Canada’s regulations on cultivated meat

While countries like the USA and Singapore already have regulatory approval for the sale of cultivated chicken, products for sale in Canada must go through a lengthy approval process for novel foods. These foods have to meet requirements for food safety, labeling, marketing, and other existing regulations. 

As Canadian regulators re-evaluate the framework for cultivated meat and create specialized regulations, the introduction of products may experience delays, slowing their arrival in the market, says the report.

For more information visit: The Canadian Foodtech Trends: Interest and Curiosity in Cellular Food Continues to Grow.

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