Woof to Wagyu: Ivy Farm wins cultivated pet food clearance
In the United Kingdom, cultivated meat company Ivy Farm Technologies has been given regulatory clearance to supply lab-grown Wagyu beef to pet food makers.
“This approval opens up pet food as a route to market for our cultivated wagyu,” Harsh Amin, CEO of Ivy Farm, told vegconomist. “It puts our Oxford facility to work and gives pet owners and the brands they buy from a premium, nutritious and more sustainable option.”
Ivy Farm cultivates cells taken from a biopsy of a registered F1 Wagyu cow in bioreactors using a serum-free nutrient medium. The harvested cells are then formulated into an ingredient for manufacturers. Independent in vitro testing found that 98% of its cultivated Wagyu protein was digested, compared with 91% for conventional beef and 72% for chicken.
The company also has applications to sell cultivated Wagyu for human consumption in the UK, Europe and US.
Category: Chemicals & Materials
