Italy Bans Lab-Grown Meat in Move to Protect Culinary Heritage

Italy banned the production and sale of cultivated meat, a move that signals the determination of Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government in defending the nation’s culinary tradition.

The law passed by parliament on Thursday also prohibits the use of terms describing plant-based products as meat. Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida earlier in the week backed the decision, adding that he hopes the European Union would follow with similar rules, Ansa news agency reported.

Cultivated, or cell-based, meat is created by harvesting cells from live animals and providing them with nutrients so they’ll grow in bioreactors before eventually becoming a consumer-ready meat ...