Frequently asked questions

Cellular agriculture uses cells and innovative technologies to produce new ingredients, food and agricultural products. The sector is working to create a range of nutritious products ethically and sustainably.

Cellular agriculture technologies are being applied to produce:

• Familiar finished products that are indistinguishable from conventional products such as cultivated beef, pork, chicken, coffee, or milk.
• Ingredients that improve the taste/sensory experience and nutritional composition of familiar finished products. For example, precision-fermented fats that enhance the taste of existing plant-based products, or precision-fermented dairy proteins that are nutritionally complete and offer superior digestibility.

With products designed to be equivalent or better to traditional products, consumers needn't sacrifice their culinary experience to enjoy them.

Our focus, which is mirrored by the demographic of companies currently in Australia, is on cellular agriculture used for the production of food (both animal and non-animal sources), as opposed to agricultural products. This is because of the potential to create a better food system for animals, people and the planet.

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There are a range of technologies used within cellular agriculture, however Cellular Agriculture Australia currently focuses on precision fermentation, cell cultivation, gas fermentation, and molecular farming.

Precision fermentation harnesses microorganisms (yeast, bacteria, fungi) to produce specific ingredients that can be used in various food and agricultural products. The ingredients produced can include egg and dairy proteins as well as specific enzymes, flavours, colours, fats, and oils.

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Cell cultivation involves isolating and cultivating cells from an animal to make products such as meat, seafood, leather and fat; or from plants to make products like coffee and chocolate.

Cultivated meat can replicate the sensory and nutritional profile of traditional food products because it is composed of the same cell types arranged into the same or similar structures as those found in animal tissues.

The foundation of this technology is well-researched for regenerative medicine applications (tissue engineering) and researchers are currently developing methods to apply it at scale for commercial food production in Australia.

Gas fermentation harnesses microorganisms to produce specific ingredients using a unique feedstock - a gas.

The process of gas fermentation starts by inserting the gene of a target ingredient/product into a microorganism as with precision fermentation. However, gas fermentation involves creating an environment where the targeted microorganisms can live in water. The microorganisms are fed tiny bubbles of CO2 and nutrients, like nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium – the same nutrients that plants absorb through their roots from soil. The microorganism is then fermented, where it produces the targeted functional ingredient/product, which is then extracted from the microorganism and purified. This ingredient can then be used in a range of food products.

Gas fermentation is currently being used by several companies. For example, Solar Foods have developed a dry powder comprised of 65-70% protein called “Solein,” which can be used as a protein replacement in a range of food products.

The process of cell cultivation involves taking cells from an animal or plant and placing them into an environment that provides them with the nutrients and conditions they need to grow.

Here, they first multiply in number, and then mature into specific tissues such as muscle and fat. In some cases, the cell multiplication and maturation phases could occur at the same time.

Once mature, the tissues are collected, and commonly combined with other ingredients to make a range of final products. The products, which can include cultivated meat and seafood, will be made in food manufacturing facilities.

The process of precision fermentation typically involves the following steps when using a GMO:

- Determine a specific ingredient to produce through precision fermentation.

- Identify and source the molecular sequence of the ingredient, which can be obtained from public databases.

- The sequence is inserted into a microorganism, such as yeast, and gives it instructions on how to produce the desired ingredient.

- The microorganism is placed in a nutrient-rich environment, ferments, and produces theingredient.

- The ingredient is extracted from the microorganism, filtered, and purified.

- The purified ingredient is then incorporated into new or existing food products.

Note: Individual companies may use variations of the steps listed above.

Our food system requires rethinking. By 2050, our population is set to reach 9.7 billion, and our demand for food will increase by up to 50% (1, 2). Our production systems are already highly optimised, and we will be unable to meet demand sustainably.

Food systems make up 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with animal agriculture alone comprising 14.5-20% of total GHG emissions (2). A relatively high proportion of this is methane, which is more than 28 times as potent as CO2. (3). Cutting methane is one of the most effective ways to reduce near-term global warming (4). It will buy us valuable time to decarbonise other emissions-heavy sectors.

That’s why alternative proteins, which include cellular agriculture, rank #1 for climate mitigation potential among all agrifood interventions (5).. Early data indicates reductions in GHG emissions of over 90% for products produced using cellular agriculture technologies (5). Despite this, food and agriculture are drastically underrepresented in the global climate agenda, and our demand for animal products shows no signs of slowing.

Cellular agriculture is one of many solutions required to ensure an ethical, accessible and sustainable food system into the future.

It also has the potential to overcome four other critical global challenges, including:

1. Food insecurity
2. Nature-related risks
3. Public health
4. Animal welfare
   

More information can be found about the these global challenges our home page.

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It is projected that cellular agriculture will potentially be a more sustainable alternative to conventional agriculture, and in particular intensive industrialised practices.

According to The World Bank, alternative proteins, which include cellular agriculture, rank #1 for climate mitigation potential among all agrifood interventions (5).

Due to the stage the industry is at, large scale life cycle analyses (LCAs) conducted on actual practices have not yet been performed. However, early data indicates reductions in GHG emissions of over 90% for products produced using cellular agriculture technologies, assuming that renewable energy sources are used (6). Early indications also project significant reductions in water use, land use and associated deforestation and biodiversity loss. For a more in-depth summary of the current LCAs available for both precision fermentation and cell cultivated see p. 28 of this report by the UNEP.

Critically, cell ag production systems are designed differently from day one - with the use of purpose-built facilities intentionally designed for low resource use, as well as controlled production systems that are decoupled from animal ag, proximate to key inputs and less vulnerable to weather and other disruptions.

By providing new methods of producing food, ingredients and agricultural products, cellular agriculture can deliver value to Australia in a number of powerful ways:

• Addressing supply bottlenecks for scarce or costly ingredients
• Enabling the production of high-quality ingredients
• Underpin a thriving and diverse bioeconomy in Australia - posing a significant economic opportunity. CSIRO has forecasted a significant increase in domestic and export demand (8.5 million tonnes of additional demand) for Australian protein products by 2030, and a market opportunity of AUD $13 billion for Australia to grow and diversify protein products from a variety of sources.
• Create jobs across a range of sectors. In particular, technical STEM expertise, facility operators and a range of tradespeople will be required.
• Potential spillover benefits to the pharmaceutical industry, such as knowledge and talent sharing. 
• Technologies such as plant-based molecular farming show promise as a means to value-add to agriculture 

By embracing cellular agriculture, Australia can position itself at the forefront of food and agriculture innovation, addressing future challenges while unlocking new economic opportunities. You can read more about each of the above areas in our handy Intro to Cell Ag resource.

Yes.

Cellular agriculture technology has been used to make insulin for 40 years. It is also widely used to make rennet – which is used in most cheesemaking today.  

In 2020, Singapore approved the commercial sale of cultivated meat, followed by approval in the United States in 2023, and Israel in 2024.

Precision-fermented dairy proteins (e.g. whey) have also been available in the US since 2020, and have been approved in other jurisdictions such as Singapore, India, Canada, Israel, and China.

Yes!

Australia is home to companies making a variety of cultivated meat products and precision-fermented ingredients. There is a growing ecosystem of companies already producing cellular agriculture prototypes and preparing for approval to sell commercially. Notably, in 2024, cultivated meat company Vow secured regulatory approval, and has been exporting products for commercial sale in Singapore and Hong Kong.

An up-to-date list of cellular agriculture companies, universities and investors can be found on our industry map.

Yes.

Precision fermentation has been used for decades in both pharmaceutical and food industries, so its safety is long proven. And its application in food products, such as precision fermented dairy, has been approved for sale and is available in the US, India, Israel, and Canada.

For products produced through cell cultivation, products have undergone rigorous and stringent testing in order to be approved as food-safe in multiple countries. The Singapore Food Agency, Food and Drug Administration & USDA (United States), as well as the Israeli Health Ministry have approved cultivated meat as safe for human consumption.

These findings are also reflected in a recent FAO report, which concluded that the overall risk of cultivated meat was no greater than that seen with conventional meat products.

In December 2023, Food Standards Australia and New Zealand’s (FSANZ) landmark assessment of a cultivated quail product identified no safety concerns. Given Australia’s reputation for stringent food safety standards and regulation, this assessment is a significant step forward in validating the safety of cultivated food products.

No, not necessarily, but that depends on the technologies and processes used.

To produce cultivated meat and seafood, genetic modification is not required, but it could potentially be used to safely boost the taste and nutrition of products, or improve resource efficiency. For consumers who don’t want their products to be genetically modified, several companies have committed to not using these methods.

The process of precision fermentation typically involves the genetic modification of microorganisms so they can produce the desired specific ingredients. Typically, it involves modifying their DNA to produce specific ingredients such as proteins, fats or other molecules that are otherwise naturally produced, for example by animals. Precision-fermented ingredients produced by GM microorganisms are not themselves genetically modified. This is because the ingredients are typically separated from the microorganism as part of filtration and purification processes - therefore making them free of any modified genetic material (DNA).

However, precision fermentation is also possible with non-GMOs to produce certain ingredients.

There is currently limited research into the long-term health and nutrition impacts of cellular agriculture products. 

However, products made through cellular agriculture can potentially have a similar nutritional profile to conventional products. In FSANZ’s food safety assessment of Vow’s cultured quail (the first assessment of its kind in Australia), no nutritional safety concerns were identified. 

Cellular agriculture may also enable us to more precisely control the levels of nutrients in products. It could also be used to boost the density of nutrients or curb saturated fats in our food without sacrificing taste or texture.

Absolutely!

Cellular agriculture will create a wide range of technical and non-technical roles across science, engineering, commerce and others as the industry develops. People skilled in STEM and HASS fields, as well as commercialisation, will be in particular demand. Facility operators and tradespeople (e.g. welders) will also be in high demand to manage the production of food and ingredients produced using cellular agriculture.

Farmers and agricultural experts can also play an important role in this nascent field. Cellular agriculture technologies are highly reliant on primary agricultural inputs such as feedstocks, and molecular farming often utilises and leverages existing field crops. So, the knowledge and capabilities of the existing agricultural industry will be imperative to the success of cellular agriculture.

CSIRO estimates precision fermentation alone could generate direct revenue for Australia of up to A$1.1 billion and create up to 2,020 jobs by 2030 (Source).

Cellular agriculture is one of a range of solutions needed to help Australia more sustainably meet a growing global demand for protein, generating income and jobs across our country. It is an opportunity to diversify and strengthen Australia’s agricultural system, which we believe will complement, not replace, our existing traditional agriculture industries.

A number of companies and think-tanks have already been involved in the development of mutually beneficial partnerships with existing agricultural producers and food manufacturers. Incumbents are beginning to see cellular agriculture products as complementary to the existing market and a number have invested in the plant-based meat and cellular agriculture industries.

Farmers can play an important role in this nascent field - Cellular agriculture technology is actually highly reliant on primary agricultural inputs such as feedstocks, making the collaboration with the traditional agricultural industry imperative to its success. Here is one farmer’s perspective on this.

Additionally, molecular farming technology relies largely on existing farming infrastructure and often provides an opportunity to leverage and build upon the existing revenue streams of field crops. This could potentially provide an powerful income diversification opportunity for farmers.

There is a lot of room for collaboration and knowledge sharing, so the cellular agriculture sector should seek to work with, and complement, Australia’s existing agricultural industries.

No.

Precision fermentation has been used for decades to produce insulin for diabetics and rennet for cheese-making. Both of these proteins were once obtained from animals (insulin from pig pancreas and rennet from calves’ stomachs), but for the last several decades they have been made by harnessing microorganisms to produce these proteins. This has allowed the final products to be much cheaper, safer and more humane.

The cultivation of stem cells to produce human tissues or organs is well researched for regenerative medicine. Although this technology is well practised for medical purposes, applying it for the production of food and agricultural products at scale is new and requires the development of novel processes and equipment.

Cultivated meat and seafood is made directly from the cultivation of animal cells, whereas plant-based meat is made from plants.

For example, cultivated meat is often made from a combination of cultivated animal muscle cells and tissues. Although the technology still has a long way to go, cultivated meat could potentially be indistinguishable from conventional meat in terms of nutrition, aroma, flavour and mouthfeel. Intentional differences may also be created to produce new and unique products.

Our CEO Sam tasted a cultivated lamb meatball created by cellular agriculture company Magic Valley, "simply put, they were delicious ... yes it was meaty, yes it tasted like lamb," he said in this article.

On the other hand, plant-based meats are made with plant proteins processed in ways to closely resemble the flavour and mouthfeel of meat.

It should be noted that currently, most cultivated meat products are 'hybrid products', meaning they contain a combination of cultivated meat cells and plant-based proteins.

Foods produced using precision-fermented ingredients (such as precision-fermented dairy or egg products) are made with proteins that are functionally equivalent to those found in traditional products. Just like with cultivated meat, this gives the products a flavour and mouthfeel that is potentially much closer to traditional products than plant-based alternatives.

Cellular agriculture food products like cultivated meat and precision-fermented dairy are made directly from animal cells. As such, they are considered animal-sourced foods and thus cannot be officially certified as vegetarian or vegan products.

The Vegan Society states: “we cannot officially support cultivated meat as animals are still used in its production [...] we would not be able to register such products with the Vegan Trademark."

However, some individuals who consider themselves vegetarian or vegan may choose to consumer these products due to the production processes (i.e. cell biopsy) not causing harm or suffering to the animal.

It should be noted that the specific use of animals in the production of cellular agriculture products may vary significantly between companies. For example, some companies may utilise fetal bovine serum (FBS) in their culture media, whilst some companies are committed to using serum-free media.

You can read one perspective on cultivated meat and veganism here.

No!

These are all different names for the same thing - meat (or other food and agricultural products) created directly from cells using cell cultivation technology (which is often also referred to as cell-culture technology).

Where these terms differ is their accuracy and appropriateness.

Terms like 'lab-grown meat' are quite simply, inaccurate. The terminology utilised to describe these product should accurately represent that final product products will be created in food manufacturing facilities, not misleading consumers to believe that they will be 'grown in a lab'.

Importantly, 36 sector stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific regions have reached consensus on 'cultivated' as the most preferred terminology.

There remains a large degree of inconsistency in nomenclature relating to the cellular agriculture sector both regionally and globally, which is why we set about developing a common and consistent foundation of language for the sector in Australia as a part of our Key Terms project.

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