The US government's gradual clearance of lab-grown meat threatens to raise more than one ethical dilemma for religious minorities. Jews, Muslims and even Hindus represent a non-negligible slice of the population, which on the one hand could be happy with the possibility of saving some species of domestic animals from suffering. On the other hand, the problems are enormous and the problem is more complex and intricate than one might imagine.

As for the Biden administration's recent clearance of two brands of lab-grown meat, the question is: is there always a need for religious oversight to define that type of food as "halal" or " kosher”? It must be said that the first of the two companies producing synthetic meat, Upside Foods, said it has not yet applied for halal and kosher certification, although those who usually eat that type of meat fall within the target market. For its part, the other "customs-cleared" company, Good Meat, declares that its products are potentially kosher, even though they have not been certified, and that it is evaluating the options for halal certification.

The products obtained in the laboratory are to be considered "meat" as they are obtained from animal cells. This does not exclude, however, that they may be cells from slaughtered animals. Mohammad Hussaini, vice president of global halal affairs for the American Halal Foundation, has set at least hard lines: to be halal, a meat must have come from a specifically slaughtered animal; it is forbidden to eat meat taken from a live animal; pork – whether natural or synthetic – remains prohibited; if the cells from which cultured meat develops come from animal biopsies, the resulting meat would not be considered halal. An exit strategy could be that of cells taken from wool and feathers, which, although not living parts, are considered halal by Muslims.

As far as Jews are concerned, synthetic meat, to be kosher, must come from an animal slaughtered according to kosher principles. Even in the synthetic sphere, the Jews insist on forbidding the consumption of products of porcine cell origin, as well as products that combine meat and dairy products (wholly or partly synthetic in nature).

Kosher or "pareve" products (fish, fruit, vegetables), even if synthetic, can be consumed, provided they are labeled as such. What if the product doesn't come from animal meat but looks like one? Some, like Aleph Farms, an Israeli synthetic food company, consider their products to be distinct from both meat and other animal products. Nonetheless, the company is working to try to secure kosher and halal certification. The interpretations, therefore, are far from univocal and the fact that the various religious authorities have not yet issued official doctrinal documents contributes to making the picture even more confused.