FDA green-lights lab-grown salmon with zero independent safety testing, raising serious questions about who’s actually protecting American consumers in the push for “sustainable” fake foods.
Key Takeaways
- The FDA approved Wildtype’s lab-grown salmon based solely on the company’s own safety claims without any independent verification or public input.
- Wildtype’s salmon, made from coho salmon cells grown in steel vats, is now being served at a Portland restaurant with plans to expand to four more locations.
- Unlike traditional foods, lab-grown seafood bypasses USDA oversight with the FDA as the sole regulatory authority.
- Despite being marketed as environmentally friendly, studies suggest lab-grown meats may actually have a higher global warming potential than traditional options.
- The approval aligns with President Trump’s executive order to boost domestic seafood production, though questions about long-term safety remain unanswered.
FDA Approval Raises Red Flags
In a concerning development for food safety advocates, the FDA has approved Wildtype Foods’ lab-grown salmon without requiring any independent testing or verification. The approval process relied entirely on the company’s own safety assessment, raising serious questions about regulatory oversight. Wildtype, a San Francisco-based cellular agriculture company backed by Bezos Expeditions and Leonardo DiCaprio, received what amounts to a rubber stamp from federal regulators through a “no questions” letter issued on May 28, 2025, essentially accepting all company claims at face value.
“This letter concludes Wildtype Inc.’s consultation with the Food and Drug Administration regarding a cultured animal cell food product. We did not identify a basis for concluding that the production process… would be expected to result in food that bears or contains any substance or microorganism that would adulterate the food,” stated FDA in their approval letter.
The streamlined approval process has drawn criticism from food safety advocates who note that, unlike other novel food products, lab-grown seafood requires only FDA clearance, bypassing the additional scrutiny that would come from USDA involvement. Critics have also pointed out that Wildtype was not required to conduct animal feeding trials before selling their product for human consumption, and there was minimal opportunity for public input on safety concerns.
From Lab to Table
Wildtype’s lab-grown salmon is already being served at Kann, a Portland, Oregon restaurant, initially available one night per week in June before expanding to daily service in July. The production process involves harvesting cells from coho salmon and growing them in steel vats with a proprietary nutrient blend. The company claims this method produces sushi-grade salmon without the mercury, microplastics, and other contaminants found in wild-caught or farm-raised fish.
“At Kann, we take pride in the ingredients we utilize. Introducing Wildtype’s cultivated salmon to our menu hits the elevated and sustainable marks. We want our menu to offer guests who share a similar value system to ours,” said Gregory Gourdet, chef at Kann restaurant, stated.
The debut dish features the cultivated salmon with pickled strawberry, spiced tomato, strawberry juice, and an epis rice cracker. While currently limited to this high-end restaurant, Wildtype plans to expand to four additional U.S. restaurants later this year. The company is positioning its product for raw consumption, stating: “Our saku is sushi-grade and best served raw in dishes like sushi, crudo, and ceviche.”
Transparency and Safety Concerns
Food safety experts have expressed alarm at the FDA’s hands-off approach to approving novel food technologies. The agency describes these products as “foods consisting of or containing the cultured cellular material” and has deemed them “as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods.” However, critics argue that the lack of transparency regarding production processes is deeply troubling, particularly the undisclosed use of color additives and antibacterial products during manufacturing.
“outrageous,” said Jaydee Hanson, policy director at the Center for Food Safety, regarding the FDA’s reliance on company-provided safety data.
Despite significant investment in lab-grown meat technology, funding has decreased in recent years, and several states have banned the sale of these products. There are also questions about the environmental claims made by producers. While marketed as environmentally friendly alternatives, a UC Davis study suggests lab-grown meats may actually have a higher global warming potential than traditional beef production when accounting for all factors in the manufacturing process.
Political and Industry Context
The approval of Wildtype’s salmon comes in the wake of President Trump’s executive order in April 2025 aimed at boosting domestic seafood supply chains. The order emphasized innovation and reducing dependence on imports, creating a favorable political climate for novel food technologies like cell-cultured seafood. Industry groups have predictably celebrated the FDA’s decision, framing it as a win for American innovation and food security.
“Wildtype’s achievement is a watershed moment for domestic seafood production and for the cultivated protein industry overall. The thoughtful, evidence-driven review proves that innovative food technologies meet the highest safety standards, and can play a vital role in healthy American diets, while strengthening our food system’s domestic production and resilience, supporting the President’s executive order to expand seafood production in the USA,” said Dr. Suzi Gerber, Executive Director of the Global Cellular Agriculture Alliance, proclaimed.
Wildtype is now the fourth lab-grown meat company to receive approval in the U.S., following Upside Foods and Good Meat for chicken products. Whether American consumers will embrace these novel food products remains to be seen, especially as questions about long-term safety and nutritional equivalence remain unanswered. For now, these products remain primarily novelties at high-end restaurants rather than mainstream food options.
