By Zohar Ben Simon, Staff Writer
In the past, Torah laws regarding animal products have been clear. However, recent growth in the technological development of lab-grown meats has stirred immense controversy in the Jewish world.
Scientists in the food industry have been working on an economically conscious and environmentally friendly solution to swap out meats and fish for alternative options since 2013, with substitutes available for human consumption in 2022. Although this major advancement addresses global issues such as food accessibility and environmental impacts, cautiousness should be employed when deciding on whether to eat lab-grown meats and under what circumstances.
These meat alternatives are cultivated from animal cells that grow in bioreactors and pump nutrients, mimicking the natural cycle that occurs in an animal’s body. This encourages growth in the muscles and in just a few weeks, a product resembling animal meat is created. The potential influence this innovation could have on the food industry is pivotal.
There are many questions that arise regarding the relation between lab-grown meat and Kashrut. The stem cells used to create the lab-grown meat are taken from a live animal which raises the question concerning the law eiver min hachai (the prohibition of eating a limb from a live animal). Rabbi Menachem Genack, from the Orthodox Union (OU), explained that if the product stemmed from live animal tissue, then the tissue has to be obtained from a kosher animal that underwent shechita.
The OU also clarifies that these lab-grown products should not be eaten with dairy products since they come from meat origins (so as not to violate the prohibition of eating dairy with meat). Although different orthodox Rabbis argue that some of these lab-grown meats could be considered pareve, they rule stringently since the product is derived from an animal and closely resembles real meat.
On the other hand, former Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau considers these lab-grown meats to be pareve, since fertilized chicken eggs and pre-embryonic cow cells are not necessarily considered meat. However, he states that if the lab-grown meat looks exactly like real meat, then it will look concerningly similar to violating the prohibition of mixing meat and milk, which could be considered marit ayin, making it a problem to label the lab-grown meat as pareve.
Several Rabbis argue that since lab-grown meat originates from pig, the product of the stem-cell is considered not kosher, and therefore, one may not be allowed to eat lab-grown meat entirely. However, some modern Rabbi’s argue that since this lab-grown meat is unnatural, it may be similar to the “heavenly meat” described in the Talmud, and therefore may be considered safe to eat.
Some argue that although this meat is not a miracle or “heavenly,” but rather a product of innovative biological and scientific advancements, it is still not kosher. However, other contemporary Rabbis state that if the lab-grown meat has the same traits as regular meat and is indistinguishable from animal products, they should be considered meat.
Lab-grown meats will revolutionize the food industry and bring major changes to the world of kashrut. These technological advancements are essential to society, but Jews must consider what these changes can mean for the future of kosher eating.