Farmed beef fat awaits approval for European market

The moment is here: Mosa Meat has submitted its first application to bring cultured meat to the European market. It's not about the much-discussed cultured meat burger, but about cultured meat fat.

Because cultured beef fat is a new food product, it must undergo extensive testing before it is allowed on the European market. | Credit: Mosa Meat

There has long been speculation about cultured meat. What does it taste like, how sustainable is it and when will it hit the market? While this application does not involve citizens, it is still an important boost for the Maastricht-based cultured meat producer.

Beef fat

The application submitted is about cultured beef fat, which is grown in a laboratory from the stem cells of living cows. In a bioreactor, the stem cells are fed nutrients, mimicking the natural growth process. Fat is the flavoring that can make meat substitutes taste like real meat. Accordingly, Mosa Meat sees it as an important ingredient. Once approved, meat substitute producers can buy the fat for their production.

CEO Maarten Bosch: "Fat is the soul of flavor and we have developed an ingredient that offers the rich culinary experience consumers expect from conventional beef. This innovation not only enriches our Mosa Burgers, but also has the potential to enhance plant-based products, which often struggle to match the full sensory experience of meat."