Back in 2023, when we reviewed the practicality of meat products grown from laboratory processes, a new study had just revealed that it was up to 25 times worse for the environment than real beef.

Despite the potential environmental impacts and lack of current technology to safely upscale production to meet current consumer needs, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved its sale to the public, clearing the way for two California companies to sell chicken produced from animal cells.

Now lab-grown salmon has recently been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), marking a significant milestone in the alternative protein industry. The approval was granted to Wildtype, a San Francisco-based cellular agriculture company, making it the first lab-grown fish to receive FDA clearance for public consumption in this country.

It’s already being sold in a Portland, Oregon restaurant.