Plant-based whitefish and steak expected to be among the Company’s first offerings, ahead of hybrid and fully-cultivated products
Steakholder Foods Ltd. (Nasdaq: STKH), a pioneer in three-dimensional meat and fish printing technology and cultivated cell innovation, announced today that it has received a feasibility report from the Mérieux NutriSciences group with regard to its proprietary, plant-based, 3D-printed whitefish and steak, concluding that the products’ raw materials are permitted for use in plant-based substitutes or Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS), and hence should be considered to be safe for use in the United Arab Emirates, a pioneer in the field of food security where Steakholder Foods intends to construct a large-scale production facility.
In addition to the status of the Company’s ingredients, the report found that as the 3D-printing process does not change the structure or composition of the materials used, the resulting product is unlikely to be classed as a novel food (a food not historically consumed by humans, such as food developed by innovative technologies) but should rather be subject to a conventional approval process.
Arik Kaufman, Steakholder Foods’ CEO, stated, “While our cultivated and hybrid offerings are expected to be classified as novel foods, we expect that our initial plant-based, 3D-printed products will obtain regulatory approval on a more conventional and expedited basis. We plan to engage with UAE regulatory authorities for approval in conjunction with our planned first-of-its-kind large-scale production facility in the Persian Gulf region, with a view to commercializing our first products while expanding regulatory approval and commercialization across the globe.”
In parallel to commencing work on the Gulf production facility, Steakholder Foods is working on executing revenue-general commercialization agreements in additional regions in 2024.
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