Leading Shariah Scholars Rule Cultivated Meat Can Be Halal

ALAMEDA, Calif. and RIYADH, Saudi Arabia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A council of eminent Islamic scholars has told the company that actual meat generated from cells, without raising and butchering animals, can be halal if production meets specific requirements, according to GOOD Meat, a part of the food technology company Eat Just, Inc. Since halal customers make up around 25% of the global population, finding an answer to this theological challenge will significantly advance the acceptance of farm-raised meat on a global scale.

The Shariah experts who contributed to the new opinion were: Professors Saad Al-Shathry, Abdullah al-Mutlaq, and Sheikh Abdullah AlManea.
This significant Shariah opinion comes from three eminent Saudi scholars at a time when domesticated meat is starting to be sold in the US and consumers around the world are becoming more aware of how meat produced in this novel way can help address issues with the world’s food systems related to climate change, food safety, food security, and animal welfare. The consumption of meat is rising quickly along with the Muslim population. Some predictions predict that the worldwide halal meat market would grow to US$375.05 billion by 2030 from its US$202 billion value in 2021.

The researchers came to the following conclusions about the halal status of domesticated meat:

• The cell line comes from an edible animal, such as a chicken or a cow.
• The animal from which the cell line is taken is slain in accordance with Islamic law.
• The nutrients provided to the cells are safe to consume and do not include any chemicals that should not be consumed, such as alcohol, blood, or products made from improperly butchered animals or pigs.
• By consulting experts, such as a nation’s food regulatory body, it is determined that the farm-raised beef is edible and does not impair human health.