Italy Bans Lab-Grown Meat

Italy has officially enacted a ban on lab-grown meat following the approval of a law prohibiting the use of laboratory-produced food and feed, a measure promoted by the government of Georgia Melloni to protect the country's traditions, according to a local newspaper.

It's worth noting that the sale of such meats has not been approved in the European Union. The law was approved in the Chamber of Deputies and subsequently passed by the Senate with a majority of 159 votes in favor and 53 against.

It prohibits the use, sale, import, and export of food and feed "from cells or tissues of vertebrate animals."

Factories that fail to comply with these rules may face fines of up to €150,000 (approximately $162,700) and the threat of closure.

Additionally, their owners may lose their right to public financing for up to three years.

With this decision, Italy becomes the first country in the European Union to ban lab-grown meats produced from cells extracted from animal tissues.

The law, approved by the Italian Chamber of Deputies after receiving the green light from the Senate, classifies plant-based proteins as "meats" under penalty of high fines.

Italian Minister of Agriculture Francesco Lollobrigida stated that lab-grown meats "break the virtuous relationship between the land, humans, and labor that has accompanied us for thousands of years and has allowed us to preserve the earth."

This move highlights Italy's commitment to regulating the food industry to maintain the integrity of traditional practices and ensure consumer safety.