Cell-cultured salmon receives FDA approval and appears on restaurant menus

In the United States, where artificial chicken meat is becoming increasingly legal, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Wildtype's cell-cultured salmon as an alternative protein, and it has now appeared on restaurant menus.

Lab-Grown Salmon Hits the Menu at an Oregon Restaurant as the FDA Greenlights the Cell-Cultured Product

Wildtype salmon is made by harvesting live cells from salmon caught in the Pacific Ocean and cultivating them in cell culture chambers that mimic the inside of wild fish, controlling factors like temperature, pH, and nutrients. Plant-derived ingredients are then added, giving the cultured cells the appearance, texture, and taste of a salmon fillet.

Our Salmon | Wildtype

In May 2025, the FDA completed its pre-market safety review and approved Wildtype's cell-cultured salmon as safe as comparable foods produced by other methods. This is the final step in the FDA's customary process for laboratory-grown products, marking the fourth approval of a cell-cultured animal product and the first approval of a fish.

This means that you can actually eat Wildtype cell-cultured salmon at four restaurants, including Kann, a high-end restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

kann - A Restaurant by Gregory Gourdet | Nationwide Shipping

Below is a menu featuring cell-cultured salmon from Otoko in Austin, Texas.

Glenn Hurwitz, founder of climate change advocate Mighty Earth, cautioned, 'The cultured meat industry has long-term potential, but it's important to recognize that it's only a potential right now. It's a small industry.'