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On June 18, 2025, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) gazetted an amendment to the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code to permit the use of cell-cultured quail as a food. The approved application, submitted by Vow Group Pty Ltd, allows the use of cultured quail cells combined with other ingredients to produce products such as logs, rolls, and patties. This decision marks a significant milestone in the regulation of cell-cultured foods in the region. The product is made from quail cells derived from embryonic fibroblasts of Japanese quail. There are no transitional arrangements, and the amendment takes effect immediately upon gazettal.
Regulatory Permissions
The sale of cell-cultured quail is permitted only under the following conditions:
Condition | Details |
Permitted Cell Line | 221523-Fib-Quail |
Product Form | Must not be sold as a standalone food for retail sale |
Use in Retail Products | Allowed only as an ingredient in other foods for retail sale |
Listing Requirement | Must be listed in Schedule 25A Permitted cell-cultured foods |
Labelling Restrictions
To ensure transparency and avoid consumer confusion, FSANZ has introduced precise labelling rules for cultured quail:
Requirement Type | Regulation |
Ingredient Name | Must include “cell-cultured” or “cell-cultivated” next to the animal name |
Product Name (Retail Only) | If presented as quail-derived, must also include “cell-cultured” or equivalent |
Use of Term "Meat" | Prohibited unless directly accompanied by the required “cell-cultured” term |
Use of Term "Poultry Meat" | Prohibited on packaging |
Generic Ingredient Terms | Use of generic terms like “meat” or “poultry meat” is not permitted |
Food Safety and Production Controls
Food safety requirements for processing of cell-cultured food in the Food Standard Code apply in Australia only. Cell lines used for cultured food must come from healthy donor animals and be confirmed free from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and prions. Only approved cell lines can be used for production. Businesses involved in cell line creation or food production must keep full traceability records, including donor animal identity, cell line handling, and final recipients.
Cell-culturing operations must maintain a documented food safety program. This must cover control points across the entire process—cell sourcing, banking, proliferation in bioreactors, differentiation, extraction, and equipment sterilisation. Clear criteria must exist for identifying when cell proliferation deviates from acceptable conditions. All substances used in production must not compromise food safety. Cell biomass is treated as a potentially hazardous food and must be stored under strict temperature control.
Microbiological Criteria
Cell-cultured food(excluding cell lines) must comply with the following microbiological safety limits:
(n) | (c) | (m) | |
Salmonella spp | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
Listeria monocytogenes | 5 | 0 | not detected in 25 g |
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