Muslims are allowed to eat cultivated meat as long as all sources are halal, says Singapore's Islamic Council

Cultivated, or lab-grown, meat is an alternative source of meat that is produced by cultivating animal cells directly. - PHOTO: UNSPLASH via The Straits Times/ANN

SINGAPORE: Amid the global push for more sustainable food solutions, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has declared that cultivated meat is generally halal, and Muslims are allowed to consume it – provided all conditions are fulfilled.

The fatwa, issued on Feb 3, said cultivated meat can be considered halal if the cells are sourced from animals that Muslims are allowed to consume, and there is no mixing of non-halal components in the production process.

Cultivated, or lab-grown, meat is an alternative source of meat that is produced by cultivating animal cells directly, as opposed to conventionally obtained farmed animal meat.

“Novel foods, which can be produced through more environmentally sustainable means compared to traditional agriculture and aquaculture, offer a practical way to contribute to environmental sustainability,” Muis said in a statement.

The religious guidance on the consumption of cultivated meat products was developed due to questions of permissibility for Muslims after the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) approved the sale of such products here in 2020, said Muis.

With the eventual emergence of novel foods, it was necessary for Muis to have a clear religious position early on whether such foods were allowed to be consumed, it added.

The Fatwa Committee supported by the Office of the Mufti conducted its research on novel foods and cultivated meat, and consulted various stakeholders like the SFA, industry players and scientists. It also visited the local manufacturing facility that produces cultivated meat to have a first-hand view of how cultivated meat is produced.

It said it would work with relevant government agencies such as SFA and members of the industry to develop guidelines for the halal certification of cultivated meat.

It added that the fatwa on cultivated meat was underpinned by the Islamic principles that it serves to preserve human life and protect the environment. “The fatwa also considers the Islamic legal principle that unless proven otherwise, whatever is beneficial is permissible,” it said.

“In all cases, Muslim consumers make their own informed choice whether to patronise any halal-certified eating establishment or consume any halal-certified food product,” it said. “Similarly for cultivated meat, if it is halal-certified, Singapore Muslims can choose whether to consume or otherwise.”

Muslims who spoke to The Straits Times welcomed the move but voiced concerns such as ensuring the facilities used to prepare the meat are halal.

Ms Aini Mohd Min, 56, said the fatwa is a “good step forward” as she believes lab-grown meat is more sustainable for the environment, compared with farmed meat.

“My biggest consideration when it comes to food is whether it is halal or not, and since the directive is that it is, I don’t see any reason to shy away from it,” said the administrative assistant.

While Ms Syasya Nur Hidayati Norhisham, 25, is pleased at having another halal food option, the programme associate at a non-profit organisation told ST she is concerned about whether the extraction and the cultivation of animal cells are done ethically.

Undergraduate Adam Farid Tang, who shared those concerns, said that although the announcement sets his mind at ease, he intends to stick to conventional meat for now.

“While I am open to trying halal cultivated meat, things such as facilities and materials used to produce them should be scrutinised to ensure they are halal,” said the 26-year-old. -- The Straits Times/ANN