The oversight at harvest for livestock and poultry cells for cell cultured meats is shared by which arrangement?

• A. FSIS
• B. USDA
• C. FDA in coordination with FSIS
• D. CDC

Answer: (C)

Regulatory oversight for cell cultured meat spans multiple agencies because the process moves from initial cell procurement to a final product that resembles meat. The agency that handles the early stages—like obtaining animal cells and maintaining their growth in culture—focuses on the safety of the biological materials and the development of the cell lines. The agency that regulates meat and poultry products, including inspection and safety when the product is ready for market, takes on the final product. To ensure a seamless, safe pathway from harvest to finished product, these responsibilities are coordinated between the FDA and FSIS. The FDA oversees the cell sourcing and culture conditions, while FSIS would regulate the harvested product as a meat/poultry product and oversee its processing and final safety. CDC does not regulate food product safety, so it isn’t involved in this oversight arrangement.