Singapore becomes first country to approve sale of lab-grown meat

SINGAPORE, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Singapore has given U.S. start-up Eat Just the greenlight to sell its lab-grown chicken meat, in what the firm says is the world's first regulatory approval for so-called clean meat that does not come from slaughtered animals.

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 cells outside the animal, is still at a nascent stage.

"The first-in-the-world regulatory allowance of real, high-quality meat created directly from animal cells for safe human consumption paves the way for a forthcoming small-scale commercial launch in Singapore," Eat Just said on Wednesday.

The firm said the meat will be sold as nuggets, adding that launch details for the product will follow later. It has previously said that each nugget will cost $50. (Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)