We’ve all have seen the big craze. Beyond Meat. Impossible Foods. Impossible Whopper.Beyond Fried Chicken…. Yeah, you get the idea.
Lots of plant-based meat substitutes.
For folks like me, that’s pretty cool. It means I can find something outside my house to eat that is kosher, since vegetarian food doesn’t cross the line into treyf (unkosher) food.
But, as I wrote some 3 years ago, there’s more on the horizon. Because there are a slew of folks culturing meat for our dining pleasure. This stuff is structurally identical to meat.
Besides the fact that there’s no methane production – since there’s no growing of the ruminants But, there’s no slaughtering either.
And, therein lies the rub.
For Jews and Muslims who follow the rules of Chalal and/or Kashrut, without the ritual slaughter- is this cultivated stuff kosher. Oh, wait- is this cultivated stuff even beef?
As I wrote a few years ago, my rabbi was actually wondering if this would be considered to be meat. And, he wasn’t alone in such a pondering. Lots of other rabbis wonder if this is meat or not. However, since cells are being used- and not just DNA, it would be hard for many rabbinic authorities to consider this stuff to be pareve (neither meat nor dairy).
And, then, there’s a slew more who believe it can’t ever be kosher or chalal. Because the materials have been cultured using fetal bovine serum. And, since it is illegal to consume blood (which is why the animal is slaughtered to afford blood drainage from the carcass), therein lies the real problem.
Which is why these innovative firms are now experimental with synthetic serum and other culture liquids.
And, it gets more complicated. Instead of using just any old cells, these companies realize they have to obtain their starter cultures from animals that have been ritually slaughtered. Otherwise, the path to satisfy the Jews and the Muslims is clearly blocked. After all, there’s already a fatwa issued by Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia (the world’s most populous Muslim nation). Because the starter cultures have generally not been garnered from ritually slaughtered animals.
So that’s exactly what Aleph Farms and Future Meat Technologies are doing now. After all, Islam is the world’s second largest religion- and the kosher business is a very large one in America and Europe.
Anybody willing to bet on these meat products being considered Chalal or Kosher in the near future?
Tik, tok. About to run out the clock. 6 days until we can file personal taxes. (Business taxes are already accepted by the IRS.) Have you read my new book helping you pay the lowest amount of taxes required by law?
I’m still wondering if I would like to try the impossible whooper.
Martha recently posted..More than a Challenge!
Try it! I thought it was pretty good.
This is interesting. I didn’t know about the cultured meat and I hadn’t really considered the kosher issue. This is something to follow! You always give me something new to learn about!
Dominique recently posted..52 Weeks of Writing Tips: Weeks 1-3
I’m so glad that you find these topics of interest, Dominique.
Very interesting post. Like Dominique, I didn’t know this new meat development was in place. Great info. I’ll be researching more into this.
It’s amazing where all this research is leading, isn’t it, Cherry-Ann?
Roy, thanks for a really clear summary of this rising issue. I’m betting, yes, these products will be tweaked until they can be considered kosher or halal in future– and in the not-too-distant future. Remember when someone invented pareve cheesecake?
Kebba+Buckley+Button recently posted..Healthy Happy Loving Life: A Coffee Prayer
My company sold it! Not only pareve- but Kosher for Passover. We arranged for air freight cargo from Paris to New York- and, from there, we delivered it to restaurants and caterers around the USA.
So, yes, Kebba. I truly do recall it- and how wonderful it tasted, to boot.
As being plant-based myself this was a very interesting topping to read ! Great information Roy !
Not quite plant-based, but certainly not an example of animal husbandry, Hanna.