Lab-Grown Meat Dog Treats: A New Development in Pet Nutrition
Chick Bites, a newly introduced pet treat made with cultivated meat and plant-based ingredients, is now available at Pets at Home in Brentford, following UK regulatory approval.
A new lab-grown meat dog treat has been introduced to the market. The product, called Chick Bites, is now available at Pets at Home in Brentford, London. This marks a step in the pet food industry toward alternative protein sources.
What Are Chick Bites?
Chick Bites consist of plant-based ingredients combined with cultivated meat. Cultivated meat is produced by growing cells instead of raising and slaughtering animals.
The company Meatly developed the cultivated chicken in Chick Bites using a single sample of cells taken from a chicken egg. The process is designed to generate meat without requiring further animal sources. The product contains amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins similar to conventional chicken.
Regulatory Approval and Market Introduction
In July, the UK became the first European country to approve cultivated meat for pet food. Meatly’s chicken was approved by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
Following this approval, Pets at Home became the first retailer to sell pet food made with cultivated meat.
Pets at Home has invested in Meatly, with the goal of exploring alternative pet food solutions.
Production and Future Plans
Meatly’s CEO, Owen Ensor, stated that the company plans to expand production within the next three to five years. Further collaborations are planned with The Pack, a plant-based pet food provider, and Pets at Home.
Feeding trials have been conducted, and the cultivated chicken does not contain steroids, hormones, or antibiotics. Meatly intends to continue studies on its product.
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