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Italy bans lab-grown meat in nod to farmers

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Italian Members of Parliament have given their approval to a law that bans the production, sale, or import of lab-grown meat or animal feed, a move championed by the right-wing government under the banner of defending Italian culinary traditions. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida asserted that Italy has become the first nation to shield itself from the perceived social and economic risks associated with synthetic food. The parliamentary vote prompted both support and opposition, leading to a physical altercation between farmers and some MPs.

Despite the scuffle, the bill passed with a majority of 159 votes in favor and 53 against. Violating the law could result in fines of up to €60,000. Presently, the impact of the law is limited, as lab-grown meat has only been approved for human consumption in Singapore and the United States. The European Union has yet to give the green light to lab-grown meat, categorized as “novel foods.” If EU approval is granted, Italy’s new law may face challenges from the European Commission.

The legislation, initiated in response to a petition organized by the Coldiretti lobby group, prohibits synthetic foods produced from animal cells without causing harm to the animal. Additionally, it restricts producers from using meat-related terms on labels to describe plant-based protein. Critics argue that there is nothing synthetic about lab-grown meat, as it is created by growing natural cells without genetic modification.

The passage of this law marks a victory for Italy’s Agriculture Minister, who, a year ago, pledged to prevent “synthetic food” from entering Italian dining tables. Minister Lollobrigida praised MPs for supporting the new law, emphasizing the preservation of the relationship between food, land, and human labor that has endured for millennia. However, the petition behind the legislation faced condemnation from critics such as Prof Elena Cattaneo, a lifelong senator and bioscience specialist, who denounced it as an emotive leaflet that oversimplified the distinction between natural and cultivated foods.

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Italy’s Quest to Preserve Culinary Tradition: Controversy Surrounds Ban on Lab-Grown Meat

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A plan that would outlaw laboratory-produced beef and other synthetic foods has the support of Italy’s right-wing government, underlining the country’s culinary tradition and commitment to public health.

A violation of the ban might result in fines of up to €60,000 (£53,000) if the plans are approved.

The minister of agriculture and food sovereignty under a new name, Francesco Lollobrigida, spoke on the value of Italian cuisine. The measure was applauded by the farmers’ group.

But, it was a setback for certain animal welfare organisations, who had promoted lab-produced meat as a solution to problems like preserving food safety and the environment from carbon emissions.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is one of the 500,000 signatories to a petition that Coldiretti and other agriculture advocacy groups have gathered in recent months to safeguard “natural food vs. synthetic food.”

She addressed a “flash mob” assembled by Coldiretti outside her office in Rome, saying, “We could only rejoice with our farmers a legislation that puts our farmers in the vanguard, not just on the topic of safeguarding quality… but also in defending consumers.”

The proposed bill came hard on the heels of a series of government decrees banning the use of flour derived from insects such as crickets and locusts in pizza or pasta.

Both initiatives were initiated by ministers who cited Italy’s renowned Mediterranean diet as their inspiration.

“Laboratory products can not guarantee quality, well-being, or the safeguarding of the Italian food and wine culture and tradition, to which part of our tradition is related,” said Mr. Lollobrigida, a member of the far-right Brothers of Italy party.

The measures, which were adopted by the ministers on Tuesday, aim to outlaw lab-produced fish and synthetic milk as well as other synthetic meals made from animal cells without harming the animal.

After “careful review,” the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last November approved cell-cultured chicken for human consumption. Singapore’s regulatory body approved the use of lab-grown chicken meat in nuggets in 2020.

Although the European Union has not yet approved any cell-based agriculture practises, such as cultured meat, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated that such practises “could be considered as a promising and innovative solution… for healthy and environmentally friendly food systems.”

Commentators noted that due to the free flow of goods and services, Italy would not be able to object to the sale of synthetic beef made within the EU once it receives EU clearance.

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