Italian MPs have voted in favour of a law banning the production, sale, or import of cultivated meat or animal feed, citing a defence of Italian tradition.
According to repoirt by BBC, Agriculture Minister, Francesco Lollobrigida praised the move, declaring Italy the first country safe from the social and economic risks of synthetic food.
The parliamentary vote led to both support and opposition rallies, with a scuffle breaking out between farmers and MPs.
The law, which imposes fines for violations, currently has minimal impact as lab-grown meat is only approved for consumption in Singapore and the US.
If the EU approves lab-grown meat, Italy’s law may face challenges.
Critics argue the law is a setback for environmental efforts and misunderstands the nature of lab-grown meat, created without genetic modification.