Ingredients and products
Are cultivated meat and precision-fermented proteins vegan? Are they available in the EU?
Short answer
Cultivated meat is not vegan, because it is grown from cells taken from animals. Precision-fermented proteins, such as whey protein made by microorganisms, do not come from animals, but views on them differ. As of October 2026, none of them is authorised for sale in the EU.
Cultivated meat needs animal cells, and some processes also use animal-derived ingredients in the growth medium, so it does not meet the definition of veganism. A precision-fermented protein is identical to the milk protein – including as an allergen – so people allergic to milk must avoid it.
In the EU both are “novel foods”: before going on sale they must pass an EFSA safety assessment and be authorised by the EU. In September 2026 the European Commission reported two applications for cell-based meat, both still in progress. Check current authorisations in the EU’s Union list of novel foods.