In a first, Singapore approves sale of lab-grown meat

For the first time in the world, Singapore has allowed the sale of lab-grown meat - giving a go-ahead to US start-up Eat Just, in what the firm says is the world’s first regulatory approval for so-called clean meat that does not come from slaughtered animals.

This comes at a time when the demand for alternatives to regular meat is surging due to consumer concerns about health, animal welfare and the environment. Plant-based meat options, popularised by Beyond Meat Inc and Impossible Foods, increasingly feature on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus.

But so-called clean or cultured meat, which is grown from animal muscle cells in a lab, is still at a nascent stage given high production costs.