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The Italian government on Tuesday approved a bill banning the production and use of laboratory-manufactured food and animal feed as the country seeks to protect Italy’s food heritage and avoid synthetic foods.
“Battle of civilizations. To protect the health of our citizens, our production model, our quality, our culture and simply our food sovereignty.” Tweet On Wednesday, “Italy is the first country in the world to say no to synthetic foods.” Failure to do so could result in fines of up to €60,000 ($65,144). If Congress passes this proposal, food produced from vertebrate-derived cell cultures or tissues will no longer be allowed in the country.
At a press conference on March 28, Lollobrigida, a member of the right-wing Italian Brotherhood led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said: “In our opinion, the products of the laboratory are quality, well-being and our culture and culture.” It does not guarantee the protection of tradition,” he said.
Meloni last year changed the name of the ministry of agriculture to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, and Lollobrigida has been an outspoken critic of the European Union’s food plan.
Agricultural lobbyist Coldiretti backed the latest move to ban synthetic foods, arguing the bill was necessary to protect local industries from multinational corporations. It calls for the closure of producers who violate regulations and restricts them from obtaining public funding for up to three years.
Opposition from NGOs
The bill has faced backlash from supporters of cell-based agricultural products and animal rights groups.
Alice Ravenscroft, head of policy at the Good Food Institute (GFI), said: “Such a law, if passed, would close the economic potential of this nascent sector in Italy and limit scientific progress. And climate mitigation efforts will be hampered, limiting consumer choice.” Europe, an international non-governmental organization promoting plant-based cultured meat.
“Italy will be left behind as the rest of Europe and the world move towards a more sustainable and safer food system. prohibited from doing so.
“The European Union has already implemented a strong regulatory process to ensure the safety of new foods such as cultured meat, and regulators in the United States and Singapore have already confirmed that it is safe. The government should let Italians decide for themselves what they want to eat, instead of stifling consumer freedom.”
GFI has been peer-reviewed when it says cultured meat reduces emissions by 92% compared to conventional beef, reduces air pollution associated with meat production by 94%, and reduces agricultural land consumption by up to 90%. cited a study of
The bill puts Italy at odds with other European countries such as the Netherlands, Britain and Spain, with the government pouring millions of euros into lab-grown meat, GFI said.
The anti-vivisection group LAV said the policy was an “ideological and anti-scientific crusade against progress”, while the International Organization for Animal Welfare said that cultured meat does not harm animals and protects them “ethically.” alternative,” he said. environment.
Cellular Agriculture Europe accused Italy of restricting consumer choice for animal welfare and environmental concerns.
Critics argue that the new law will not have a significant impact on Italy’s economy.
eat insects
The Meloni administration also opposes promoting insects as a suitable food substitute. This is a trend adopted by the European Union and endorsed by elite organizations such as the World Economic Forum. In January, the European Commission approved two more insect species for human consumption in the region, even after acknowledging concerns that the insects cause allergies.
Last week, Meloni said the government was preparing a policy to require companies to label products containing or derived from insects, following controversy over the use of cricket-based flour.
“The government has presented four interagency decrees introducing informational labels on products containing or derived from insects,” Meloni wrote. twitter“Citizens must be able to make conscious choices and be informed from all perspectives.”
The government is also reportedly considering including Italian cuisine on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
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