Synthetic meat. CDM approves production and marketing ban

It was approved by the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida and the Minister of Health Oscar Schillaci, the bill containing provisions on the prohibition of the production and placing on the market of synthetic food and feed. 

The purpose of the provision is to ensure the highest level of protection of citizens' health and to preserve the agri-food heritage, as a set of products that express the process of socio-economic and cultural evolution of Italy, of strategic importance on the territory for the national interest. 

In the absence of specific European legislation on foods and synthetic foods, the Meloni Government has decided to intervene as a precaution at a national level to protect the interests that are linked to health and cultural heritage.

"We look to the protection of our community. As a Government we have addressed the issue of quality that laboratory products do not guarantee. We wanted to protect our culture and our tradition, including food and wine. If the production of synthetic foods were to be imposed on the markets, there would be greater unemployment, more risks for biodiversity and products which, in our opinion, would not guarantee well-being. There is no persecutory attitude but a strong will to protect“, thus the minister Francesco Lollobrigida in a press conference at Palazzo Chigi with the minister of health Schillaci, after the approval of the measure. 

The ban on using, in the preparation of food or drink, selling, holding for sale, importing, producing for exporting, administering or otherwise distributing for food consumption, food or feed consisting of, isolated or produced from cell cultures or tissues derived from vertebrate animals.

In the event of a violation, the product will be confiscated and the operator is subject to a fine ranging from 10 thousand up to a maximum of 10% of the turnover achieved in the last financial year closed prior to the verification of the violation. 

Monitoring will be carried out as part of the activities under the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry and the Ministry of Health.

Synthetic meat. CDM approves production and marketing ban