The United States has officially entered a new era of food innovation with the FDA’s approval of the nation’s first lab-grown salmon. San Francisco-based startup Wildtype has received the green light to sell its cultivated coho salmon, marking a significant milestone for the alternative protein industry. The FDA issued its approval on May 28 in the form of a “no questions” letter, stating that Wildtype’s cell-cultivated salmon is as safe as traditionally sourced fish.
This makes Wildtype the third company in the U.S. to receive regulatory clearance for cultivated protein products, following UPSIDE Foods and GOOD Meat, which launched lab-grown chicken in 2023. Unlike those products, which required approval from both the FDA and USDA, cultivated seafood falls under the sole jurisdiction of the FDA, giving it a more streamlined path to market. Wildtype’s approval marks a critical step forward for cell-based seafood, a field that has long faced both technical and regulatory challenges.
Wildtype grows its salmon by harvesting cells from coho salmon at a hatchery in Washington state. These cells are cultured in stainless steel bioreactors over four to six weeks, then blended with plant-based ingredients to replicate the texture and flavor of traditional fish. The final result is a sushi-grade salmon product, which is already being served at Kann, a James Beard award-winning restaurant in Portland, Oregon. The company plans to expand availability to four additional restaurants in the coming months.
While the approval is a breakthrough, consumer sentiment remains divided. Earlier polling suggested that a majority of Americans opposed genetically engineered seafood, though it’s unclear how those views will evolve now that lab-grown fish is officially on the menu. The technology behind cultivated meat and seafood has made strides in recent years, but public understanding of the process and trust in the products remain key challenges.
Wildtype’s launch also comes amid political controversy. Florida banned the sale of lab-grown meat in 2024, with Governor Ron DeSantis calling it part of a “global elite” agenda. Violating the ban could result in jail time, underscoring the cultural and regulatory tensions surrounding cell-based protein. Some major grocery retailers, including Costco, Kroger, and Safeway, have also expressed hesitance, saying they won’t carry genetically engineered seafood products for now.
Despite the pushback, Wildtype has attracted significant investor backing, raising over $120 million from firms and individuals including Leonardo DiCaprio and agricultural giant Cargill. The company began its FDA approval process in 2022, submitting its first safety dossier that year and undergoing eight rounds of revisions before receiving approval. Now, after nearly a decade of development, Wildtype is positioned to bring cultivated fish to American diners at scale.
According to the Association for Meat, Poultry, and Seafood Innovation, the approval means that consumers will soon have access to “100% American-made, healthy, fresh, sushi-grade seafood grown directly from fish cells.” With growing concerns about overfishing, microplastics, and climate impact, lab-grown seafood offers a promising alternative for those seeking sustainable dining options.
The approval of Wildtype’s salmon sets a precedent for the future of cultivated seafood and opens the door for more cell-based fish products to enter the U.S. market. Whether the broader public embraces it remains to be seen, but the path forward is now officially open.