Regulator approves Vow Group's lab-grown quail as food in NZ

Forged cultured Japanese quail whipped pate and smoked spread. (Image: Supplied)

Thu, 19 Jun 2025

Cell-cultured quail is the first lab-grown meat permitted for use as a food in New Zealand following an update to genetically modified food definitions in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code.Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) on Wednesday said the definitions were updated to reflect advances in gene technologies while upholding strong food safety standards.At the same time it permitted the use of cell-cultured quail as a food after Sydney’s Vow Group sought approval to use cultured quail cells in combination with other...

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