As of June 2023, the USDA has given 2 companies approval to sell lab grown chicken: Upside Foods and Good Meat. The chicken is grown from a few cells taken from a fertilized chicken egg, with no slaughter required. The problem is, people are claiming that the companies authorized to sell the lab grown chicken are not required to label or disclose that the chicken is cell cultivated. Would you be willing to eat this man-made chicken? 

The process of cultivating this chicken is completely organic and not plant based. It starts by being cultivated in steel tanks. The cells form 100% real chicken. Both companies make it the same way, but sell it in different forms. Upside Foods makes it into chicken cutlets and sausages. Good Meats turns the chicken into cutlets, nuggets, satays, and shredded chicken.

• If you’ve heard of this new lab grown chicken, you’ve most likely heard that stores and companies are not required to label the packaging as lab grown or genetically modified. Well, that isn’t true. According to USA Today, when social media got a hold of the story, they claimed that the meats were not labeled and that lab grown meats were being sold without telling customers. This is false!

The director of UPSIDE Foods, David Kay, stated, “All meat and poultry products sold in the U.S. require a label to be reviewed and approved by the (USDA) prior to commercialization.”

I interviewed Olivia Aviles, a senior at Pitman High School, about this suspicious new meat.

Bianca: “Olivia, I know you’re a vegetarian and you have been for a long time. Are you a vegetarian because you care about the animals or because of dietary choices or restrictions?”

Olivia: “Yes, I have been a vegetarian for 3 years now. I’m a vegetarian because I don’t support killing animals for food.”

Bianca: “Knowing that the lab grown chicken is completely slaughter-free, do you think you would be willing to eat it, or do you think it isn’t vegetarian safe?”

Olivia: “I might be willing to eat it because if it truly is a non-violent way to get meat, I would consider it vegetarian safe.”

Bianca: “I wonder if other vegetarians would think the same thing.”

According to CNN Business, both companies say it is not considered vegan or vegetarian because it is developed from animal cells. Those who do not eat meat for health reasons should stay away from the lab grown chicken. There are many opinions from vegans and vegetarians, and it depends on the person’s beliefs.