“Cultivated meat is still an emerging technology that has gained approval in only a few places, such as the US and Singapore. It is currently gaining momentum and striving to influence regulatory bodies, particularly in Europe.” Dr. Luis A. Fernandez, vice president strategic development at Mane, tells Food Ingredients First. 

Tasneem Karodia, Newform Foods co-founder and COO, also outlines the vision for the partnership: “We aim to create hybrid cultivated meat products that will blend with plant-based protein to elevate the taste, texture, color and flavor of what’s currently on the market. While Newform Foods is working to reach scale and price parity with conventional meat, hybrid products will be the first to hit the market.”

Sharpening taste of cultivated meat 
Fernandez says cultivated meat isn’t seeking to completely replac traditional meat but aims to provide a protein alternative for the growing global population. 

“It will need to find its place among the various existing diets, including vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian lifestyles. Newform Foods’ scaffold-free cultivated meat is highly disruptive, encompassing a wide range of meat species such as beef, chicken and lamb, while also maintaining affordability for mainstream consumers in both Europe and Africa.”

One notable aspect of the partnership is the emphasis on the taste of cultivated meat and the development of premium and cost-effective products. Mane will formulate hybrid cultivated meat blended with plant-based protein. 

Mane will focus on flavors, functional blends and seasonings to expand its offerings and give consumers a taste of “what’s possible when innovation and food expertise come together.”

“We believe that hybrid formulations represent a prudent choice to leverage the diversity of available technologies, including cultivated meat, plant-based options, mycoproteins, single-cell proteins, and Mane would like to give consumers a taste of “what’s possible when innovation and food expertise come together.”more, to strike a balance between cost, texture, taste, color, flavor, yield, sustainability, nutritional benefits, and functionality,” Fernandez continues.

Focus on ethics
Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is a common component of animal cell culture media. It is harvested from bovine fetuses taken from pregnant cows during slaughter. The current method of harvesting fetal blood may cause pain or discomfort to fetuses, raising ethical concerns about its humaneness.

“Cultivated meat must gain consumer acceptance. Newform Foods and Mane are committed to operating with the highest level of integrity and advocating for market regulations that promote the production of cultivated meat in a sustainable, cost-conscious, and ethical manner.”

Regarding the market expectation, the companies are positive about their future. “We have received numerous exciting reactions from industry experts regarding the powerful synergy between Mane and Newform Foods.” Fernandez says. 

In terms of the future of the innovation, Fernandez envisions: “We are enthusiastic about the future potential of cultivated meat, believing it has a crucial role to play in the protein transition. It can serve as a single source of highly nutritious alternative protein, promoting cruelty-free practices and protecting animal welfare, or it can be integrated with plant-based or other non-animal raw materials to meet evolving consumer demands.”

Regulatory approvals
There have been significant advancements in the regulatory framework for cultivated meat this year. In June, Upside Foods and Good Meat received landmark regulatory clearance for US cultivated chicken sales.

Good Meat has already received multiple regulatory approvals for its chicken in Singapore in 2020 and 2021. In January, the company also secured a key clearance relating to using serum-free media that paved the way for greater scalability and lower manufacturing costs.

In Europe, the Netherlands became the first European country to greenlight cultivated meat and seafood tastings in July, but this is not the same as making an official EU application for novel food status.