Lab-grown meat does not a burger make, EU lawmakers insist

Vegetarian patties similar Beyond Burger’s would besides beryllium deed by the restrictions. | Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

This week the EU Parliament voted successful favor of an amendment that would prohibition vegetarian and vegan products from utilizing presumption including “burger” and “sausage.” But the projected prohibition goes further than that, and would besides forestall cell-cultured nutrient — a.k.a. lab-grown — from utilizing the aforesaid terms.

The regulation, passed by lawmakers 355 to 247, inactive needs to get past the EU Commission and subordinate authorities governments earlier it becomes law. But if it does, it requires that presumption including “steak,” “burger,” “sausage,” and adjacent “egg white” beryllium “reserved exclusively for products containing meat.” That’s a non-exhaustive list, and the authorities is intended to screen each names presently utilized for nutrient products.

But the measure is besides explicit that the meaty presumption “shall exclude cell-cultured products,” which could airs a occupation for the burgeoning cultured nutrient industry. “Lab-grown soma disk” doesn’t person the aforesaid ringing arsenic “hamburger,” and portion the manufacture is inactive years distant from perfecting lab-grown steak, it would similar to beryllium capable to telephone it that erstwhile it does.

The regularisation was projected with the purpose of supporting European livestock farmers, and backed by an progressively close helping parliament, but has been opposed by supermarkets, clime groups, and adjacent Burger King. A akin measurement was voted down successful 2020, but the EU does person precedent here, having banned the usage of dairy terms similar “milk” oregon “cheese” for plant-based alternatives.