ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

House: LARA DP 6-3-0-0

HB 2739: food products; cultivated cells; labeling

Sponsor: Representative Nguyen, LD 1

House Engrossed

Overview

Outlines labeling requirements for food products derived from cultivated cells.

History

Statute provides several cases in which a food is misbranded, including if: 1) its labeling is false or misleading; 2) it is offered for sale under the name of another food with or without other descriptive words, or under any name which is likely to be misleading; or 3) any required word, statement or other information does not prominently appear on the label compared to other words or statements (A.R.S. § 36-906).

The process of cultivating animal cells for human food involves using cells obtained from living livestock, poultry, seafood or other animals and growing them in a controlled environment to create food.

Currently, this process is regulated jointly by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In 2019, the FDA and the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) of the USDA established a formal agreement on how to regulate human food made from cultured animal cells. Under the agreement, the FDA oversees the collection, growth and differentiation of living cells into various cell types, such as proteins and fats. Regulatory jurisdiction is then transferred to FSIS, which oversees the harvesting stage of the cell-culturing process and any further processing, labeling and packaging of the products (USDA).

Provisions

1. Requires the manufacturer, packager or retailer of a food product that is derived from cultivated cells to place a label on the food product's packaging that states: This food product is derived from cultivated cells. (Sec. 1)

4. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

5. HB 2739

6. Initials BSR Page 0 House Engrossed

8. ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------