Published 30 March 2023 at 09.44
Foreign. The Italian government is backing a bill to ban lab-grown meat and other synthetic foods, reports BBC News.
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The proposal aims to ban synthetic foods produced from animal cells without killing the animal. It should also apply to lab-produced fish and synthetic milk.
If the law is upheld, a violation of the ban could result in a fine of up to 60,000 euros.
The issue has been raised by the agricultural industry in Italy, which in recent months has collected half a million signatures demanding the protection of “natural food against synthetic food”.
Among those who have signed the petition is Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The government's support for the new bill represents a blow to some animal welfare groups, which have highlighted lab-grown meat as a solution to issues such as carbon emissions and food safety.
The Italian government has previously decreed the use of flour derived from insects like crickets and grasshoppers in pizza or pasta.
They justify the decisions with the importance of preserving Italy's traditional food culture.