Food from cultured animal cells

Biocraft Pet Nutrition, the first biotech company to develop animal cell-cultured ingredients for the pet food market from Austria, and Prefera Petfood, a specialist in premium natural wet pet food production from Romania, yesterday at 7 April announced a partnership to commercialize a hypoallergenic, nutritionally complete cat food made almost entirely from cell-cultured mouse.

The partnership's debut product, a mouse mousse, is based on Biocraft's animal-cell cultured ingredient that not only provides the basic nutrients essential for cats and dogs, but offers additional functional advantages for pet health, including a hypoallergenic protein source and an omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio that is superior to traditional meat, the companies said in a press release.

This forthcoming product for cats leverages Biocraft's unique cell-culture process to create functional and environmentally sustainable food that is identical to their natural small prey diet, says the manufacturer. “Achieving a near 100 percent inclusion level of an animal cell-cultured ingredient for a final product is a game-changer for the pet food industry,” said Biocraft founder and CEO Dr. Shannon Falconer.

Early palatability tests have demonstrated exceptional acceptance rates among cats, with taste trials showing strong preference for cell-cultured mouse mousse over conventional alternatives. The companies will officially debut product samples 5-7 May in Bologna at Zoomark International. Biocraft expects to begin producing initial commercial volumes of its ingredient by the end of 2025, with mouse mousse to follow. Prefera products are sold primarily in Europe.