As the demand for sustainable protein sources continues to rise with the growing global population, cellular aquaculture has emerged as a promising complement to traditional seafood production systems, such as aquaculture and wild-capture fisheries. Figure 1 shows the overview of cell-cultured seafood production. Cellular Aquaculture has the potential to address future seafood supply challenges. Currently, a growing number of companies are investing in the development of cell-based seafood and other innovative food products.
Ensuring the safety of these emerging products remains a critical concern. Cell-based seafood must undergo rigorous regulatory approvals before entering the market, particularly in the United States. In this presentation, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the current regulatory framework for cell-cultured seafood production, key food safety considerations, and the path forward for market approval.
Our work includes a simple hazard analysis of cell-cultured seafood production, leveraging established risk analysis techniques such as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)(See figure 2). We will highlight potential food safety hazards during the production process, as illustrated in Figure 1, which provides examples of specific risks that could compromise product safety. This figure will be included in the presentation to visually demonstrate the importance of monitoring critical control points in the cell-cultured seafood production chain.
By examining the challenges of commercialization, including labeling terminology, consumer perceptions, and the need for cost-effective production methods, this presentation will also address the broader implications of introducing cell-cultured seafood to the market. Drawing on science-based risk assessment tools and regulatory guidelines, we will discuss the necessary steps to ensure safe production and market entry for these innovative food products.