First lab-grown meat certified kosher

The Orthodox Union has certified a strain of lab-grown meat as kosher for the first time, marking a significant step forward for the food technology’s acceptance under Jewish dietary law.

Orthodox Union Kosher, the world’s largest and most influential kosher certification authority, recognised poultry products from Israeli startup SuperMeat as kosher, the company announced on Wednesday.

SuperMeat’s chicken cell-line products were recognised as kosher Mehadrin meat, meeting the most stringent qualification for kosher supervision.

Certifying lab-grown meat is complicated because the meat cultivation process often starts with stem cells from living animals, and kosher law bars consuming any part of a living animal, Rabbi Menachem Genack, CEO of the Orthodox Union Kosher Division, told The Times of Israel.

The New York-based Orthodox Union says meat products must come from a slaughtered animal, and nothing can be derived from a living creature.

SuperMeat’s lab-grown poultry sidesteps this requirement by taking the stem cells from eggs, in a process that could open the door for more kosher certification of poultry products.

“Aligning our technology with kosher dietary laws holds immense significance for us. This step represents our commitment to inclusivity and respect for diverse dietary needs, making our cultivated chicken meat accessible to audiences around the world,” Ido Savir, CEO of SuperMeat, said in a statement.

Israel is a leading producer of lab-grown meat and other vegan products, an industry which is expected to grow at a rate of almost 25% over the next seven years.

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In first, leading kosher authority Orthodox Union certifies lab-grown meat (Times of Israel)
Israeli startup SuperMeat’s chicken products sidestep restrictions on using parts of living animals by growing meat from egg stem cells.