Aleph Farms, a pioneer in Israel’s cultivated meat industry, announces regulatory approval from Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH) through a “No Questions” letter, allowing the company to sell its cultivated beef to the public.
This approval marks the world’s first approval for cultivated beef and positions Israel as the third country to approve cultivated meat products — after Singapore and the USA’s approval for cultivated chicken. It is also the first green light for cultivated meat in the Middle East.
“This announcement marks a critical leap in the global race”
“2024 stands to be a landmark year for the advancement of regulatory pathways and commercialization of cultivated meat. With this historic regulatory approval, Israel’s Ministry of Health (MoH) has firmly cemented its leadership position in introducing world-changing innovation in a way that builds trust with consumers,” said Yifat Gavriel, Chief of Regulatory Affairs, Quality Assurance and Product Safety at Aleph Farms.
“Now more than ever, Aleph Farms remains committed to making the world a better place,” said Didier Toubia, CEO and co-founder of Aleph Farms.
Angus-style thin steak
This government’s approval will allow Aleph Farms to introduce its first Aleph Cut product, a premium Angus-style thin steak dubbed the Petit Steak, first in select restaurants and later to a broader audience.
Aleph Farms claims to be the first company to cultivate meat from non-modified cells without fetal bovine serum and antibiotics. The company’s steaks combine cattle cells and a plant protein matrix made of soy and wheat.
The company operates a 65,000-square-foot plant in Rehovot, Israel, which includes a pilot production facility that passed a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) inspection, which was required to receive the Ministry’s approval for commercializing its cultivated beef.
“Working closely with the Food Risk Management Department at the IMOH, led by Dr. Ziva Hamama, we have ensured full compliance with safety standards and shaped the regulatory landscape for novel foods, opening the door for cellular agriculture to enhance food safety and food security,” Gavriel added.
Aleph Farms has already obtained a ruling from the Chief Rabbi of Israel declaring its cultivated steak as kosher, and it is working to achieve Halal certification, recognizing the dietary needs of different religious communities.
Additionally, the company has submitted dossiers for novel food approvals in Switzerland and the UK and plans to expand its operations in Singapore, where its CDMO partner Esco Aster operates.
A better way to make beef
As reported by the scientific community, the beef industry is inflicting significant environmental damage, not only through releasing methane and other harmful emissions but also by contributing to deforestation for cattle feed production and the creation of grazing land. Additionally, the excessive demand for beef and extensive imports by Western countries drive substantial land and forest depletion, biodiversity loss, and pollution in the global south.
Meanwhile, cultivated meat holds the potential to address global food production sustainably to feed the world and achieve global food security.
Bruce Friedrich, founder and president of The Good Food Institute, shared: “This announcement marks a critical leap in the global race to make the meat that people love in a way that’s better for our climate, biodiversity, and food security.”
