Lab-grown meat can be kosher and halal, experts say

Agencies | Washington 

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Two panels of experts have ruled that lab-grown meat can be labelled kosher and halal if it is derived from cells that are treated in accordance with religious standards.

The opinions are a win for cell-cultivated meat companies, as they mean that observant followers of Judaism and Islam could one day consume their products.

Cultivated meat is made by taking a sample of animal cells and growing them in a nutrient-rich environment. This process avoids the need for traditional livestock farming, which can be harmful to the environment.

Josh Tetrick, CEO of GOOD Meat, expressed enthusiasm about the decision, stating, “It’s another step toward making cultivated meat a viable solution.” At present, cultivated meat is available in limited quantities in the United States and Singapore.

However, industry players are optimistic that increased investment from both private and public sources will support the expansion of production, potentially revolutionizing global dietary habits.

The Orthodox Union (OU), the largest kosher certification agency in the United States, said that cultivated chicken produced by Israeli company SuperMeat met its standards because the chicken cells were not fed any animal ingredients and were extracted from a fertilized egg before any blood spots appeared. The OU is working with SuperMeat to develop broader guidelines for the cultivated meat industry.