Opinion: Halal Certification Organizations, Lab-Grown Meat and the Labeling Debate

Halal certification bodies play an important role. They issue Halal meat certificates that travel with each shipment to Muslim countries. There are hundreds of such organizations worldwide. Some bodies are better staffed and equipped than others to carry out monitoring and verification activities. Verification activities are necessary because the increasing globalization and complexity of the global meat industry has led to an increased risk of food fraud and cross-contamination with other types of meat.

According to one report, 20% of sausage samples labeled as containing only one type of meat were found to be cross-contaminated with other types of meat. For example, sausages labeled as beef also contained only pork. When lab-grown meat enters the market, it may become another source of cross-contamination. How lab-grown meat is defined by its regulators will have a significant impact. The question Halal meat consumers want answered is: what exactly are Halal certification bodies doing in the labeling debate?

A review of these events shows that investors such as billionaire Bill Gates and US agricultural giants Cargill and Tyson are optimistic about the future of lab-grown meat, which they consider environmentally friendly. Some other countries, such as Israel, are also investing in this technology. Since this new technology often brings new concerns, the US Cattlemen's Association submitted a petition asking the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service to exclude so-called 'lab-grown meat' from the definitions of 'beef' and 'meat.' At the time, FSIS asked interested parties to submit their comments. On May 5, 2018, as a person concerned with Muslim issues, I submitted the following comments:

1. Since lab-grown meat does not involve animal slaughter, Halal regulatory scholars may find that it does not meet Halal requirements. This could have a potential impact on US exports of Halal meat to Halal countries.

2. For whatever reason, some consumers may want to avoid eating lab-grown meat. Therefore, lab-grown meat should be clearly stated on the product label, so that consumers can make informed decisions at the grocery store.

3. Regardless of which regulatory body has jurisdiction over lab-grown meat, the shape of the federal 'inspection seal' should be different from the round shape currently used for livestock and poultry products.

The debate over how lab-grown meat should be labeled continues, and some states, such as Missouri, have passed legislation that only traditional meat can be labeled 'meat,' to protect traditional agriculture. It would be great if major Halal certification bodies could put forward their views on lab-grown meat through 'Ijtihad' and make these views known to the public. Public awareness of their views will help many consumers make informed decisions when lab-grown meat and poultry products are sold in supermarkets and restaurants.

The author of this article is a former employee of the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA, FSIS), the agency responsible for regulating the meat industry.