Leading Shariah experts tell GOOD Meat that raised meat can be halal

Just Eat, the world’s first cultured meat producer, is set to make its cell-based chicken halal-certified, following advice from Shariah scholars. Halal diets, which adhere to Islamic law, require animals to be slaughtered in a prescribed manner and certain types of meat and byproducts, including pork and blood products, are prohibited. The company plans to work towards making cultivated meat halal-certified, which could be a significant step towards widespread acceptance of these foods. Halal consumers make up 25% of the global population, and the Halal meat market is expected to grow by 7% annually to reach $375B in 2031. Muslims also desire Halal certification from their own authorities to be confident in consuming alt-meat products.

Three Saudi Arabian scholars have ruled that cultivated meat can be considered halal if it meets certain criteria. The scholars reviewed documents by GOOD Meat and attorneys about its cultivated chicken production process, including cell line selection, ingredients, harvesting, and manufacturing. They concluded that cultivated meat can be halal if it is from a permissible animal, is slaughtered according to Islamic law, and does not contain forbidden substances. However, the Quran prohibits the consumption of meat derived from pigs in Islamic culture, and cultivated meat made from fetal bovine serum (FBS), which breaches Halal guidance.

A poll by GOOD Meat found that a majority of consumers in six Middle Eastern countries, particularly those with large Muslim populations, would buy cultivated meat if it was halal, cost-competitive, and tasted similar to traditional meat. This ruling provides clarity on how to ensure cultivated meat becomes an option for billions of people who eat halal. Muslim consumers recognize the potential benefits of cultivated meat for the Halal economy, including creating new jobs for halal meat scientists and helping grow Muslim-owned food businesses.