Replicating the complex structure, texture, and overall appearance of conventional meat is a significant challenge for the cultured meat sector. Achieving a product that is indistinguishable from conventional meat still requires considerable research and development.

Significant challenges in scaling up production, reducing costs, and achieving consumer acceptance persist. Investment is needed in production facilities (to shift from pilot to commercial scale), cell line development, scaffolding, and bioprocess design.

Nutritional profile

Although the nutritional profile of cultured meat, including its protein content, cholesterol, iron, and fat content, is expected to be the same or similar to conventional products, this has not been extensively studied. Regulatory approvals in the US primarily evaluate safety and manufacturing practices. The nutritional profile is assessed to ensure a product meets FDA standards, which may include comparisons with conventional animal-based equivalents.

As production methods continue to advance, more data on the nutritional attributes of culture meat will likely become available. The ability to adjust the nutritional profile during production is a theoretical advantage, but data on nutrient bioavailability is not yet available​. Assumptions of nutritional equivalence between cultured and conventional meat still require confirmation through detailed nutritional analysis.

Approval in the EU

No regulatory applications for approval of cultured meat products have been made to date in the EU. Given uncertainties, it is unclear at this stage whether evidence on cultured meat products would suffice to satisfy EU regulatory requirements.

Similarly to microbial fermentation, the length and complexity of the regulatory approval for cultured meat as novel food, and existing labelling and marketing restrictions may discourage applications too. Some EU Member States are considering banning cultured meat production and marketing and restricting the use of commercial designations traditionally associated with meat products, which could also hinder sector growth.