Lab-produced food must pass religious, safety tests

IN the food industry, technology is applied to meet the needs of food security globally while ensuring the sustainability of the food supply chain.

One of them — synthetic technology that produces cultured meat — affects the quality and quantity of food, productivity and efficiency of food production.

Cultured meat is lab-grown meat from animal cells and addresses religious and public health concerns, and also ethical, economic and environmental concerns associated with conventional meat production.

This has gained attention in different religious traditions.

In the cellular agricultural sector, cultured meat is a promising and evolving opportunity.

But it needs a high degree of technological transition, which could affect consumption. Although still at an early stage, it paves the way for more sustainable protein needs and animal welfare-consciousness that can meet the nutritional value of conventional meat.

Generally, meat contains vitamins, minerals, fats, amino acids and other components that play different roles in the body.

As meat is one of the main sources of protein in the human diet, it promotes human wellbeing and physical growth.

Companies worldwide are improving the technology needed to create a real muscle-based livestock meat without animal slaughtering.

Public perceptions of cultured meat with regard to philosophy, ethics and religion should be taken into account if the product is to be commercialised.

About 1.8 billion Muslims, 1.1 billion Hindus, 500 million Buddhists and more than 10 million Jews are affected by this emerging issue as each religious group has rules and customs about meat consumption.

The most critical issue for Muslims is whether cultured meat is halalan tayyiban.

According to Quran scripture and interpretation by prominent Islamic jurists, cultured meat is halal if the cells used originate from a halal-slaughtered animal and without the use of blood or animal-based serum and/or growth enhancers in the manufacturing process.

Due to rapid growth in population, Muslim consumers represent a viable and lucrative business opportunity for cultured meat.

Therefore, it is important to comprehend how religion may function to control interpretation and acceptance of novel products from new technologies.

It is also clear that media portrayal of cultured meat influences public perception by emphasising certain aspects of the definition and framework.

There are barriers to Muslims’ perception and acceptance of cultured meat. Besides the halal factor of this future food, unnaturalness may appear as crucial in Muslims’ perception of refusing the lab-grown meat.

Since cultured meat is perceived as unnatural, consumers often have doubts about its safety.

Researchers, experts and producers should be aware of these fears and highlight clarity and transparency about the health and safety aspects of cultured meat as key for industry sustainability.

Health and safety concerns among consumers have created an opportunity for the food industry because it has the same importance with the concept of halalan tayyiban.

Therefore, producers and advocates should embrace this concept in the cultured meat industry.

The concept of halal food is not complete and wholesome without it being combined with aspects of health, safety and nutrition.

Halal food must also be safe for human consumption and have high nutritional value.

This is in agreement with verse 168, Surah al-Baqarah: “O mankind, eat from whatever is on earth [that is] lawful and good and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed, he is to you a clear enemy.”

Possible developments in food safety and nutrition have potential, but consumers perceive risks due to a perception of unnaturalness and breach of norms.

Cultured meat producers and researchers should attempt to develop trust, encourage the understanding of new technology with Islamic principles, and clarify how cultured meat could enhance performance in these disciplines.

Besides, it is essential to understand how the lab-grown meat might interact with social and cultural challenges, especially among Muslims.

Unfortunately, the implications of lab-grown meat for public health are unknown, as it is a contemporary food product derived from synthetic technology.

Hence, more research needs to be done to review its effects on health, economics, social aspects and religion, especially by addressing the technological challenges in the development and expansion of the production process.