Safeguarding tradition: Italy bans cell-based meat as Florida legislator proposes prohibition

21 Nov 2023 --- The Italian government has voted to ban cultured meat being produced or sold in the country, which could complicate the regulatory environment surrounding cell-based food.

As other countries like the US, UK, Singapore and Israel embrace what’s hailed as a crucial solution to slaughter-free alternative proteins, Italian ministers have moved to prohibit the production, sale or import of cultivated meat or animal feed.

The reason? Defending Italian tradition and maintaining heritage. 

The vote took place in Italy’s lower house of parliament, where it proved to be a heated issue. At one point, a scuffle even broke out between Italian farmers — who have vehemently lobbied for a ban for several months — and MPs. 

However, the proposal, which the upper house Senate has already approved, passed by 159 votes in favor to 53 against. 

Breaching the law could lead to fines of up to €60,000 (∼US$66,000). 

The UK and Europe lag behind the US, which food authorities granted regulatory clearance for cultivated chicken sale.Patchwork regulation?
This is the first major pushback the burgeoning cultured meat (fish, seafood and poultry) industry has faced, but it remains to be seen what impacts any Italian ban would create or how threatening it would be to innovation elsewhere. 

The EU has not yet given official “novel food” approval to any cell-based products, but the greenlight might not be far away. 

TCB, a German food manufacturer Infamily Foods subsidiary, has applied to the European Safety Authority (EFSA) for novel approval of its “sausage from controlled cultivation.”

The biotech company, also known as Cultivated B, is in talks with EFSA and officially entered the pre-submission process to approve a novel or non-farmed sausage product this fall. 

“This (application) is a pivotal first step in the evolution of the cultivated meat market and establishes a viable path toward large-scale commercial production,” flags the company.

EFSA certification is governed by a strict regulatory framework that emphasizes food safety standards. The EU certification is considered among the most robust in the world. 

We also understand there are several other cell-based innovators preparing their applications for EFSA. Meanwhile, Israeli innovator Aleph Farms has applied to the UK Food Standards Agency to sell its cultivated beef steak.

The Good Food Institute (GFI) believes Italy is cutting itself off from innovation and blocking sustainable development.

“This bill not only deprives consumers of choice but also isolates Italy from the investment and job creation offered by this burgeoning industry. The debate surrounding cultivated meat in Italy has been fueled by misinformation, as hearings in the Senate intentionally excluded cultivated meat companies and supporters while allowing false claims from opponents of this sustainable food,” Francesca Gallelli, public affairs consultant at the GFI, tells Food Ingredients First.

“We welcome the intention of the government to submit the law to the EU for scrutiny, and we hope member states can voice their concerns regarding the potential violation of the single market.”

Economic repercussions
Meanwhile, Julia Martin, cellular agriculture lead at ProVeg International, tells us that by passing legislation that bans cultivated meat, Italy can expect to lose out economically as other countries scale up their industries to meet the expected huge demand for cultivated products as they enter the market.

“On the environmental front, Italy’s contribution to tackling climate change will also be thwarted as cultivated meat promises to slash emissions from meat production radically,” she says.

Gourmey aims now to improve their lab fois gras recipe. However, investment to increase the company's research and development are needed (Image credit: Gourmey)“Perhaps most obviously, cultivated meat has huge animal welfare benefits as it enables meat production without causing harm to animals. Also, land freed up by cultivated meat can be rewilded to enable biodiversity to flourish.”

High steaks in Florida
Cell-based is also proving to be a polarizing issue in Florida, US, with Republican Tyler Sirois proposing legislation that would make it a criminal offense to sell cultivated meat in the state from July 2024. 

A few days ago, Sirosis declared that he wanted Florida to become the first state to ban cultured meat. He has the support of Wilton Simpson, the state’s agriculture commissioner.

Similar to the situation in Italy, the proposed legislation seeks to ban the production, sale, holding and distribution of cell-cultured meat within Florida and calls for criminal penalties on anyone violating these rules.

The proposed legislation will now go through due process in the state.

It directly contrasts the US government’s stance on cultured products and cellular agriculture in general. 

In June, Upside Foods was granted permission to start commercial production and sales of its cultivated chicken after completing the pre-market regulatory review process. At the same time, Good Meat, the cultivated meat division of food technology company Eat Just, also received USDA approval for its cultivated chicken to enter interstate commerce.

Earlier this month, a report by Oghma Partners pinpointed the US as the global center for cell-based industry activity, given the country’s favorable regulatory framework and huge consumer market. It also flagged how the cell-based meat industry could be entering a period of consolidation amid inflationary pressures. 

Holding on to heritage
There are concerns that Italy’s move will not only restrict the country’s involvement with this game-changing food tech but also force food innovators to move outside of the country to pursue innovation in the space.

But Italian ministers, farmers and other proponents of the ban remain unfettered. 

“Italy is the world’s first country safe from the social and economic risks of synthetic food. We are safeguarding our food and system of nutrition by maintaining the relationship between food, land and human labor that we have enjoyed for millennia,” says Italy’s Agriculture Minister, Francesco Lollobrigida.

Tthe bill got the backing of Italian animal farmers and traditionalists.Lollobrigida is part of Italy’s Brothers of Italy party, which is often referred to as a national conservative party with right-wing populist views. He has been involved with other food controversies in the country, such as preserving wine and cheese heritage. 

“We have to protect our workers, our agricultural entrepreneurs and citizens who have the right to eat well.”

Proponents of a cell-based ban argue that cultivated meat is “unnatural,” “synthetic,” and made in “bioreactors,” while advocates of cellular agriculture stress that cell-based meat is made in cultivators (like the fermentors used for brewing beer) instead of farming animals. 

Supporters push the climate-friendly aspects of this future food and emphasize its sustainability and animal welfare credentials. 

By Gaynor Selby