Study shows that lab-grown meat can be Halal

There has been some discussion about lab-grown meat – which has been consumed in some foreign countries – for some time now. And for those who work in the Halal segment, it is inevitable to ask: is it or can it be Halal?

FAMBRAS Halal's Full Quality Analyst, Bárbara Cristina Domingos, sought to answer this and other questions related to the topic – such as advantages and disadvantages – in the work presented during the first edition of CTec Halal. It's worth checking out.

Barbara, what led you to choose this theme for your work? What was your intention with it?

The production of laboratory-grown meat is an innovation and has already begun to be consumed in foreign countries. Its promise is the production of meat and meat products without slaughtering the animal, using only its cells, bringing countless benefits to the environment.

My intention in addressing this topic was to explain how this process occurs, show the advantages associated with the production of cultured meat, the challenges faced, and relate it to Halal.

Your work was a technical study on cultured meat. Can you tell us how this process came about?

My work was based on a bibliographic reference, therefore, several scientific articles and reports in internationally known magazines were consulted on current studies of cultured meat.

Based on your work, what are the advantages of cultured meat?

One of the main advantages of cultured meat is its lower environmental impact, as it reduces the use of energy and water, the occupation of the Earth's surface and reduces the emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitric oxide.

Another important advantage, used as an appeal in the production of cultivated meat, is in relation to animal welfare, since none of them are slaughtered to produce meat and its derivative products.

Another benefit is the fact that it is produced in controlled, safe and healthy environments, with high hygiene standards, preventing the spread of zoonoses.

What about the disadvantages?

One of the challenges encountered in the production of cultured meat is consumer acceptance of this product, since the texture, color and flavor present some differences in relation to natural meat.

One of the biggest disadvantages of this product is the difficulty of producing it on an industrial scale. It is estimated that approximately eight trillion muscle cells are needed to produce one kilogram of protein.

To reduce the large number of cells essential to the process, it is necessary to create new culture medium formulations and new bioreactors - which would be capable of increasing production efficiency, reducing energy expenditure, production costs and maintaining consumer safety.

What must cultured meat look like to be considered Halal?

For cultured meat to be considered Halal, it is essential that the animal is Halal, that is, permitted for Muslim consumption. For example, cultured beef meat can be considered Halal. Cultured pork meat is Haram, as the pig itself is an animal forbidden for Muslim consumption.

Furthermore, all the elements used to produce this meat must be from Halal sources. For example, the ingredients used in the culture media to grow the cells extracted from the animals must all be Halal. Therefore, we cannot have blood, a prohibited element, as part of the composition of this culture medium.

How are cells extracted from a Halal animal to carry out this cultivation?

There are some differences of opinion. Many scholars say that cells cannot be collected from a living animal through biopsy, as this would rule out the product as Halal. Currently, there are studies to extract cells from the feathers or wool of an animal, making it possible to certify cultivated meat as Halal.

It is a topic that is still under debate, but there is, indeed, the possibility of Halal certification as long as all these items, in principle, are met.

What is your assessment of CTec Halal?

CTec Halal was a great opportunity to learn about various topics related to Halal and to showcase my work, making it known to all participants. It is an experience that adds a lot professionally, broadening perspectives of various sectors within Halal.