In recent years, cellular agriculture technology has emerged as an alternative to solve many problems in the food system. The successful combination of knowledge from areas such as biotechnology, tissue engineering and molecular biology allows the production of food products using cell cultures, such as cultivated meat. As technology advances, so does the challenge for regulatory authorities. Regulatory agencies must obtain reliable technical and scientific information to base their regulatory authorization of different products in an environment where technological advances are disruptive, varied and often protected within companies. At the same time, entrepreneurs and scientists need more precise guidelines to conduct the development of their products appropriately and quickly. In this scenario, a fundamental issue for regulation and technological development concerns the food safety of cultivated meat products.
Proving food safety is a prerequisite for product marketing and the primary concern of regulatory agencies. Thus, following a suggestion from the National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA), the Good Food Institute (GFI) Brazil, in collaboration with the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), developed this study.
This study aimed to establish a Food Safety Plan for a target cultivated meat product and contribute to the assessment of the safety aspects of cultivated meat production, employing the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) approach.
The hazard analysis was performed according to the guidelines of FAO (1998), FDA (2022) and Codex Alimentarius (CAC, 2020). Through interactive meetings, the study team developed a HACCP plan for the cultivated meat burger. In addition to the process flowchart and spreadsheets used, we also present the research priorities identified during the study.
Finally, we hope that the information presented here can provide the basis for future food safety studies, indicating some steps to ensure the food safety of cell culture food products and assisting all stakeholders in ensuring the safe production of cultivated meat.
