Iceland's vanguard: Prime Minister Jakobsdóttir takes part in Europe's first cultivated meat tasting

Feb 14 2024, 14:32
In Reykjavík, the first tasting event of cultivated meat in Europe took place, with the presence of the Prime Minister. Gourmet dishes were prepared using meat derived from Japanese quail cells

The event on February 12th is destined to write another important chapter in the history of cultivated meat, following the famous 2013 burger by Mark Post and the recent American approval for production and sale. For the first time on the doorstep of Europe, a tasting of cell-cultured meat took place, attended by the Icelandic Prime Minister, Katrín Jakobsdóttir. This significant signal aims to support the new gastronomic avant-garde and, above all, the ongoing scientific research behind it.

Organizers and tasting

The initiative was conceived and desired by ORF Genetics, an innovative Icelandic company in the field of plant biotechnology and protein production, and Vow, the largest Australian company dedicated to cultivated meat. Thanks to this collaboration, they accelerated research and production, quickly obtaining a cell line of Japanese quail and the ideal culture liquid for cell multiplication. Japanese quail meat was the star of this unique tasting session, prepared in various recipes inspired by both local and Asian cuisine.

Choosing Iceland

Drawing a parallel between the early stages of cultivated meat development and the evolution of transformative technologies such as electric vehicles, ORF Genetics and Vow emphasized the need for government investments in large-scale production, as is already happening in countries like the United Kingdom and Germany.

On this topic, the Icelandic Prime Minister was very clear in her statements: "It is clear that our food systems must change to feed a population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2040. It is also evident that we must use innovation and technology to establish new ways of addressing the climate challenge. This is exactly what we are seeing on the tasting tables here today. Cultivated meat is one of the solutions to the climate challenge. Icelandic authorities are determined to pave the way for the adoption of new solutions in Iceland, and we look forward to seeing the development of a European regulatory framework for cultivated meat."

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