FDA Approves First Lab-Grown Salmon for US Commercial Sale

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the first lab-grown salmon for public consumption, produced by Wildtype, a San Francisco-based company. This lab-grown salmon is now being served in select restaurants in Portland, Oregon, marking the only commercially available lab-cultivated meat product in the U.S. The FDA's approval was based solely on Wildtype's safety data, without independent testing or a finalized regulatory framework, raising concerns among critics about transparency and potential health risks, including the use of growth stimulants linked to cancer-related behaviors. Several states, including Florida and others, have banned lab-grown meat sales, often citing protection of traditional farmers and agriculture. The innovation has divided public opinion, with environmentalists supporting its potential to reduce resource use and emissions, while some consumers and experts express apprehension about food safety and the labeling of such products as "salmon."