The FDA recently announced that it will hold a public meeting entitled, “Foods Produced Using Animal Cell Culture Technology,” on July 12, 2018 to provide the public with an opportunity to offer feedback related to the production of foods using animal cell culture technology. Stakeholders will also have the opportunity to submit written comments until September 25, 2018.
The agency indicated that it intends to “share our initial thinking for how we intend to appropriately apply our existing regulatory tools and policies to this novel area of technology.” The agency specifically asked for input, relevant data, and information related to certain questions, such as:
-
The kinds of variations in manufacturing methods that would be relevant to the safety of such products when consumed as foods;
-
The kinds of substances used in the manufacture of foods produced using animal cell culture technology;
-
Potential hazards associated with the production of such foods and the need for unique control measures to address potential hazards.
While this meeting will be focused on food safety issues, the notice noted that the agency “recognizes the importance of other issues . . . , such as labeling, and FDA welcomes comment on these other issues and expects that they will be the focus of future engagement with stakeholders and the public.” Interested parties can register for the meeting here or submit comments on the docket here.
[View source.]
