Cellular Meat Ban

Extracted Attributes

• Criticism of Bans

  Anti-free market, protectionist, harms innovation.

• Production Method

  Cellular agriculture, utilizing tissue engineering techniques.

• Key Critic of Bans

  David Friedberg

• Current Availability

  Not yet widely available.

• Other Meats in Focus

  Fish, seafood (e.g., grouper), elk, lamb, bison, Wagyu beef.

• Common Meats in Focus

  Beef, pork, chicken.

• Regulatory Body (Europe)

  European Food Safety Authority (approval required for sale).

• Definition of Cultured Meat

  Meat produced by culturing animal cells in vitro, molecularly identical to conventional meat.

• Ethical/Religious Considerations

  Debates on kosher status; some types ruled kosher by Chief Rabbi of Israel in 2023.

• Penalties for Violations (Italy)

  Fine of up to €60,000.

• Stated Benefits of Cultured Meat

  Reduced environmental impact, improved animal welfare, enhanced food security, human health benefits.

• Regulatory Bodies (United States)

  FDA (oversees cell collection, cell banks, cell growth and differentiation), USDA (oversees production and labeling).

• Penalties for Violations (Mississippi)

  Misdemeanors, punishable by fines up to $500 or three months imprisonment.

• Investment in Cultured Meat (2021-2023)

  Over $2.5 billion USD worldwide.

Timeline

• Mark Post created the first hamburger patty from tissue grown outside an animal, marking a significant milestone in cultured meat development. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2013-00-00

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) formalized an agreement to jointly regulate cultured meat in the United States. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2019-03-07

• SuperMeat opened 'The Chicken' restaurant in Tel Aviv, Israel, serving cultured chicken to test consumer reaction. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2020-00-00

• Eat Just made the world's first commercial sale of cell-cultured meat in Singapore. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2020-12-00

• Avant Meats brought cultured grouper to market. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2021-00-00

• Cultured meat and seafood companies attracted over $2.5 billion in investment worldwide. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2021-2023

• The Chief Rabbi of Israel ruled that some types of cultured meat are kosher. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2023-00-00

• South Dakota's House Bill 1118, prohibiting state funds for cell-cultured protein, was signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2025-02-00

• Mississippi's legislature unanimously passed House Bill 1006, banning the manufacturing, selling, or distributing of cultivated food products, becoming the third US state to do so after Florida and Alabama. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2025-03-00

• Italy has proposed and approved a national ban on the production, sale, or import of cultivated meat, citing ethical, public health, sustainability, and transparency concerns. (Source: Web Search Results)

  Ongoing

• Discussions and debates continue regarding the ethical, health, environmental, cultural, and economic implications of cultured meat and associated bans. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  Ongoing

Cultured meat

Cultured meat, also known as cultivated meat among other names, is a form of cellular agriculture wherein meat is produced by culturing animal cells in vitro; thus growing animal flesh, molecularly identical to that of conventional meat, outside of a living animal. Cultured meat is produced using tissue engineering techniques pioneered in regenerative medicine. It has been noted for potential in lessening the impact of meat production on the environment and addressing issues around animal welfare, food security and human health. Jason Matheny popularized the concept in the early 2000s after he co-authored a paper on cultured meat production and created New Harvest, the world's first non-profit organization dedicated to in vitro meat research. In 2013, Mark Post created a hamburger patty made from tissue grown outside of an animal; other cultured meat prototypes have gained media attention since. In 2020, SuperMeat opened a farm-to-fork restaurant in Tel Aviv called The Chicken, serving cultured chicken burgers in exchange for reviews to test consumer reaction rather than money; while the "world's first commercial sale of cell-cultured meat" occurred in December 2020 at Singapore restaurant 1880, where cultured chicken manufactured by United States firm Eat Just was sold. Most efforts focus on common meats such as pork, beef, and chicken; species which constitute the bulk of conventional meat consumption in developed countries. Some companies have pursued various species of fish and other seafood, such as Avant Meats who brought cultured grouper to market in 2021. Other companies such as Orbillion Bio have focused on high-end or unusual meats including elk, lamb, bison, and Wagyu beef. The production process of cultured meat is constantly evolving, driven by companies and research institutions. The applications for cultured meat havе led to ethical, health, environmental, cultural, and economic discussions. Data published by The Good Food Institute found that in 2021 through 2023, cultured meat and seafood companies attracted over $2.5 billion in investment worldwide. However, cultured meat is not yet widely available.

Web Search Results

• Lab-Grown Meat Bans in 2025: Which States Are Restricting ...

  In March 2025, Mississippi’s legislature unanimously passed House Bill 1006, becoming the third state after Florida and Alabama to ban manufacturing, selling, or distributing cultivated food products derived from cultured animal cells. The law bans manufacturing, selling, or distributing cultivated food products from cultured animal cells, defining them as any food produced from cultured animal cells. Violations are misdemeanors, punishable by fines up to $500 or three months’ imprisonment. The [...] South Dakota’s House Bill 1118, signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden in February 2025, prohibits state funds from being used for the research, production, promotion, sale, or distribution of cell-cultured protein, defined as human food made from animal cell cultures or DNA grown outside a live animal. Exemptions apply to the Board of Regents, its institutions, and state agencies performing certain regulatory functions. The law reflects South Dakota’s focus on supporting its established meat [...] Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the State Department of Health are authorized to enforce the ban, with measures like license suspensions for non-compliant retail food establishments. The law also prohibits labeling cultured cell products as meat to avoid consumer confusion.

• European countries ban lab meat in move to support farmers

  At the moment there is no lab meat sold in Europe, and such a market could only get the go ahead if approved by the European Food Safety Authority. Ahead of any such moves, Italy already has proposed and approved a national ban on the sale of cell based agriculture products, but this is being examined by the EU for a possible breach of European single market rules. [...] The main reasons behind the ban by Italy was that lab-grown meat, or cultivated meat, was not ethical, created public health concerns and issues surrounding sustainability and transparency. Italian MPs supported the law banning the production, sale or import of cultivated meat or animal feed, calling the legislation “a defence of Italian tradition.” [...] While the meeting of the Ministers was taking place a number of farm groups protested outside while some other people voiced their support for lab meat. Some scuffles broke out between the opposing groups as they tried to make their voices heard, but no-one was seriously injured. A vote by the MPs during the meeting in Parliament backed the bill to ban lab meat by 159 votes to 53 with a fine of up to €60,000 for anyone who broke the law.

• Cultured meat - Wikipedia

  Jewish rabbinical authorities disagree whether cultured meat is kosher, meaning acceptable under Jewish law and practice. One factor is the nature of the animal from which the cells are sourced, whether it is a kosher or non-kosher species and whether, if the cells were taken from a dead animal, slaughter in accordance with religious practice had taken place prior to the extraction of cells. Most authorities agree that if the original cells were taken from a religiously slaughtered animal then [...] #### US [edit] In September 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have agreed to jointly regulate cultured meat. Under the agreement, the FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation, while the USDA oversees the production and labeling of food products derived from the cells that are meant for human consumption.( [...] the meat cultured from it will be kosher.( Depending on the nature of the cells, it may be determined to be kosher even when taken from a live animal, and some have argued that it would be kosher even if coming from non-kosher animals such as pigs.( In 2023 the issue of lab meat being a non-meat product or "pareve" has come up for debate.( In 2023 the Chief Rabbi of Israel ruled that some types of cultured meat are kosher, and if not made to resemble meat, can have pareve status.(

• Cultivated meat's regulatory pathway - The Good Food Institute

  “Food made with cultured animal cells must meet the same stringent requirements, including safety requirements, as all other food regulated by the FDA.” ## USDA requirements for inspection and processing [...] FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Formal Agreement between FDA and USDA.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA, March 7, 2019. . USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. “Foods Made with Cultured Animal Cells.” Food Safety and Inspection Service. USDA. Accessed November 21, 2022. . Food Safety and Inspection Service. “FSIS Responsibilities in Establishments Producing Cell-Cultured Meat and Poultry Food Products.” U.S. Department of Agriculture. Accessed July 24, 2024. . [...] ### References 9 C.F.R. Ch. 3. 21 C.F.R. Ch. 1, Subch. B. 21 U.S.C. Ch. 9–10, 12, 27. Califf, Robert M, and Susan T Mayne. “FDA Spurs Innovation for Human Food from Animal Cell Culture Technology.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA, November 11, 2022. . FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “Human Food Made with Cultured Animal Cells.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA, November 16, 2022. .

• Where Is Lab-Grown Meat Legal? The Full List - Green Matters

  Lab-grown meat is appealing to environmentalists and animal lovers alike. This cell-cultivated product could reduce the need for the meat industry, which is known to have a negative impact on both the environment and animals. Despite all of cultivated meat's potential benefits, not everyone is thrilled with the idea — it’s surprisingly controversial. Some countries have made an effort to explore and implement cell-based meat, while others have been more hesitant and cautious. [...] To try the product, you'll have to head to the one restaurant offering it: Huber’s Butchery and Bistro in Singapore. There, you can try Eat Just’s GOOD Meat, which many customers consider “phenomenal,” according to BBC News. You can choose from either a chicken sandwich or chicken pasta. However, there are only a few dining slots available throughout the week, and a very limited supply of the cell-based meat. Good luck getting a reservation. [...] Instead of embracing lab-grown meat like the Netherlands, Singapore, and the U.S., Italy is banning it. Francesco Lollobrigida, the country’s minister of agriculture, stated that lab-grown foods will be banned in Italy, according to The Conversation.