The Italian government has presented a draft law to the parliament that would ban the production of lab-grown food and animal feed in the country, according to a report from Remix News.
The move is aimed at safeguarding Italy’s cultural heritage and traditional food and agriculture sectors from the perceived risks and shortcomings of lab-grown food production.
Under the proposed law, the production of any food produced “from cell cultures or tissues derived from vertebrate animals” would be prohibited, with violations resulting in fines of up to €60,000 (about $65,088).
If passed, Italy would become the first country in the world to impose such a ban.
Francesco Lollobrigida, a senior minister in the government, stated that the proposed law would benefit both farmers and consumers, as lab-grown food products “do not guarantee quality, well-being and the protection of our culture, our traditions.”
He emphasized that the government’s goal is not to prosecute violators, but to “protect the health of citizens.”
According to Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, the proposed law is an “important result” and would be enforced through fines and other penalties for those who violate the ban.
Health Minister Orazio Schillaci highlighted that the legislation reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding Italy’s national heritage and agri-food culture, which is based on the Mediterranean diet.
Italy’s decision to ban lab-grown food follows a similar move by France in 2018, Remix notes.
While the European Union (EU) has not yet taken a position on the issue, Meloni’s administration has been taking swift action on several controversial policies being implemented at the EU level.
Earlier this month, the government banned the use of insect flour in pasta production, and last week, it announced its intention to require products containing or derived from insects to carry information labels for consumers.
The proposed law will need to be approved by the Italian parliament before it can come into effect.
