US health regulators will now let fake meat look like real meat

US health regulators confirmed a new rule that allows myoglobin, a color additive, to be used in ground meat and ground poultry analogue products. This means plant-based or lab-grown meat can now be colored to look more like traditional ground meat or poultry.

For years, plant-based and lab-grown meat products often looked different from traditional meat, which could affect consumer acceptance. This rule removes a barrier to making these alternative proteins visually indistinguishable from their animal-based counterparts. It could accelerate the adoption of alternative proteins by making them more appealing to a wider range of consumers.