Nerd Pride Radio

Interesting question: Would religious restrictions apply to cultured meat?

For plant-based meat substitutes, I think you'd be okay to eat them, as long as they otherwise comply with your dietary standards in terms of handling, etc. (kosher, halal, etc.). So Catholics would be okay to eat black-bean hamburgers on Friday during Lent.

If we're talking about animal-based, lab-grown meat products, I think that's probably something that still has to play out. I'm sure you'll have some hard-liners who think that sort of thing is the work of the devil and should never be consumed under any circumstances. Others will consider it the same as plant-based meat substitutes because there was never a "living animal" slaughtered to produce the substance. Others will consider it to be the same as any other meat product of the appropriate species.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Will Jews and Muslims be able to eat synthetic pork? Will Hindus be able to eat synthetic beef? Don't know!

I'm curious to see where the meat industry falls on this question, as well as religious groups, though I wouldn't expect any of the above to be making the decision based on the original reasons that such restrictions came into being.

Right now the meat industry is pressing hard to re-brand "beyond meat" stuff into a ban on using the word "meat" like that is going to mean anything, just ask AMERICAN CHEEZ

The BK Impossible Burger gets good reviews from my family though I have not tried due to not knowing exact ingredients.