By Cath Isabedra 

The future of protein is no longer theoretical—it’s being cultivated in bioreactors, advanced in regulatory roundtables, and tasted in regional food tech hubs. But in Asia, the road to commercial viability for cultivated meat and seafood hinges on one essential pillar: food safety. While innovation continues in biomanufacturing and novel protein development, regulatory readiness and public trust remain the deciding factors for long-term success. 

Calisa Lim, Senior Project Manager at the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), offers a candid look at what’s being done—technically, strategically, and collaboratively—to help cultivated proteins reach the dinner table safely and sustainably. 

“APAC-SCA was founded in 2022 to assist and coordinate efforts in the cellular agriculture space,” Lim shares. “As an industry association headquartered in Singapore, we seek to enhance the industry’s role as a trusted partner and collaborator in the development of science-based policies, regulations, and standards.” 

With a member base that includes Aleph Farms, Avant, Cell AgriTech, DaNAgreen, Meatable, and others, APAC-SCA focuses on three strategic levers: ecosystem building, perception shaping, and regulatory alignment. 

“We focus on building an industry that supports better health outcomes, contributes to long-term food security, and strengthens sustainability at every stage of the supply chain,” she adds. 

Collaboration that scales influence, not just technology 

Progress in cellular agriculture hinges on collaboration between regulators, companies, investors, and educators. APAC-SCA’s work with regional and international alliances, such as the Japan Association for Cellular Agriculture (JACA) and the Global Cellular Agriculture Alliance (GCAA), reinforces this principle. 

“To realise the full potential of the industry, multi-stakeholder collaboration is necessary,” Lim explains. “APAC-SCA partnerships at the global and country-specific level allows for regional synergies, streamline advocacy efforts for regulatory cooperation, and communicating accurate information about the potential of cellular agriculture to consumers across the globe.” 

At COP28 UAE, GCAA hosted dialogues spotlighting cultivated protein as a core solution to building resilient, inclusive food systems. This global presence helps elevate cultivated meat and seafood from niche science to policy-relevant innovation. 

“For example, at the COP28 UAE, GCAA hosted a series of dialogues at the Food System Pavilion to showcase the role of protein diversification as a key element of an inclusive transition towards sustainable, resilient, and equitable food systems. This allowed for the conversation of cultivated meat & seafood to be raised at the international stage, allowing for interested stakeholders to engage the industry in meaningful conversation.” 

Laying the groundwork for regional regulatory alignment 

Despite shared aspirations across Asia-Pacific, regulatory frameworks for cultivated foods are far from harmonized. Lim emphasizes that this poses one of the largest barriers to market entry. 

“APAC-SCA recognised that few APAC countries have experience processing food safety applications for cultivated meat and seafood products,” she says. “Some may have questions about the existing safety assessment methodologies that can prevent or mitigate potential hazards.” 

To address this, the APAC Regulatory Coordination Forum was launched, bringing together 15 stakeholders from 10 countries. In partnership with the Good Food Institute APAC, the forum released two white papers addressing cell line development and cell culture media components—topics central to risk assessment and consumer safety. 

“These white papers outline the challenges and opportunities available for regulatory convergence and are substantial documents that can be used as the basis of discussion between food safety authorities in the region,” Lim shares. “Coordination here further brings forth efficiency in application and transparency, encouraging growth and commercialisation efforts for the industry.” 

The forum plans to release peer-reviewed scientific papers on alternatives to animal testing and microbiological hazards—key food safety areas that could influence regulatory decisions across borders. 

APAC Regulatory Coordination Forum launched two white papers on cell line development and cell culture media components to support industry’s engagement with food safety authorities.  

From global standards to local practice 

To achieve regulatory coherence, APAC-SCA operates across three levels—global, regional, and national. At the global level, it’s partnering with the UN FAO and pursuing Observer status under CODEX, where proposed projects focus on safety assessment and production standards. Regionally, the association led a memorandum of understanding with 35 stakeholders to standardize terminology around the word “cultivated.” 

“Well-conceived industry standards are important to ensure a level playing field,” says Lim.  

As the market develops, so too does consumer interest. But that interest hinges on one critical factor: safety. 

“When food safety authorities have a clear understanding of the hazards, they can start the development and/or incorporation of food safety frameworks for the industry as part of their safety assessment procedure,” Lim notes. “A scientific and evidence-based framework can assure consumers that they are receiving the safest and highest quality proteins for their daily diet.” 

It’s not just regulators who need to be confident in these new foods. Public perception, rooted in cultural traditions and food norms, plays a critical role in long-term acceptance. 

Consumer trust starts with education 

While regulatory progress sets the stage, consumer perception will ultimately determine the market. According to a recent APAC-SCA report, 42.2 percent of Japanese consumers are willing to try cultivated meat or seafood—if safety is proven. 

Consumer trust isn’t won in labs alone. Familiarity and exposure are just as important as science-based standards. 

“Consumer education has to be coupled with familiarity, accessibility, and positive media portrayal,” says Lim. That’s where the APAC-SCA (Student Chapter) comes in—a platform created in partnership with Temasek Polytechnic in 2024. Through mentorships, newsletters, myth-busting fact sheets, and food tasting events, the chapter targets future consumers with early exposure to cultivated meat. 

“We served 106 participants who attended the APAC-SCA (Student Chapter)’s inaugural event… with cultivated chicken satay to better understand what the general public liked about cultivated meat,” Lim shares. 

In September 2025, the chapter will host a learning journey to Cell AgriTech’s CDMO facility in Penang, Malaysia, offering students hands-on exposure to the manufacturing side of cultivated food production. 

Breaking down the tech challenges: Microbes and methodologies 

For all the policy advancements, technical challenges continue to complicate the scale-up process. Chief among them: microbial contamination and the ethics of testing. 

“Microbiological hazards introduced in the biomanufacturing process and its testing considerations to ensure high survivability of the cells… remain a concern,” Lim says. “The industry is currently relying on processes from bio-pharmaceutical and other food manufacturing processing lines, but some of the practices are not applicable.” 

This makes the development of tailored HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) frameworks a top priority. 

Simultaneously, there’s growing resistance to animal-based toxicology testing—a hurdle for companies focused on ethical protein production. 

“Some regulators [are] requesting animal studies… Aside from the misalignment with the industry’s position on animal welfare, animal toxicological studies have shortcomings, including low interspecies concordance and poor true positive human toxicity predictivity rate.” 

The search for validated alternative methods is ongoing. APAC-SCA is working on these themes under the Regulatory Coordination Forum, with papers due at the Singapore International Agrifood Week in November 2025. 

Cultivated chicken satay served at the APAC-SCA (Student Chapter)’s inaugural event on 14 October 2024 with GOOD Meat’s retailed cultivated chicken.  

To help member companies navigate these barriers, APAC-SCA is generating and publishing peer-reviewed research through its coordination forum. These resources aim to equip regulators and companies alike with data-driven guidance on safety and scale-readiness. 

Cell AgriTech CDMO facility in Penang, Malaysia  

Unlocking sustainability through strategic scale 

Cellular agriculture isn’t just a novel category—it’s a critical lever for global food security. Since the debut of the first cultivated burger, over 170 companies have entered the space. Many now have products ready—or nearly ready—for market. 

“The movement towards a future of sustainability and food security is being accelerated on a daily basis,” says Lim. 

By linking with academia, regulatory bodies, CDMOs, and adjacent sectors like plant-based protein, the industry is forming a connected engine for scale. 

What comes next? 

For many in the industry, access to capital is now the limiting factor. “Global funding across many sectors have declined over the past few years, and agrifood tech was not spared,” Lim explains. 

To address this, APAC-SCA launched the Cell Ag Investment Forum in 2025 alongside Beyond Impact VC to re-ignite investor interest in cultivated foods. The initiative aims to foster deeper connectivity between investors and startups in the field. 

And while APAC-SCA continues its efforts to align stakeholders, it’s the food safety work, grounded in science, standards, and shared understanding, that will ultimately determine the sector’s future. 

“We hope the forum creates greater traction and connectivity between investors and cell ag companies,” says Lim. “Participation is free and open.” 

The Cell Ag Investment Forum was set up by APAC-SCA and Beyond Impact VC to spur innovation and drive investment back in the cell ag space.  

From possibility to progress: A regional model for global disruption 

Asia-Pacific is rapidly becoming the proving ground for cultivated meat and seafood—and the roadmap built by APAC-SCA offers lessons that extend far beyond the region. From streamlining safety standards to engaging consumers and sparking investor confidence, the association is laying the foundation for an industry that could redefine how the world thinks about food production. 

“Undoubtedly, there is still much work to be undertaken,” says Lim. “But we are excited to see collaborations across academia, government, and industry gain traction.” 

The message is clear: for cellular agriculture to succeed, the work must go beyond innovation. It must dismantle friction, accelerate coordination, and prioritize public trust. 

For startups, regulators, and investors across the global food system, Asia-Pacific is showing what the future could—and should—look like. 

With insights from Calisa Lim, Senior Project Manager at the APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA). 

This story first came out in our May/June 2025 issue.