Korean Muslim Federation Issues Fatwa Ruling Cultivated Meat As Halal

South Korea’s largest Muslim organisation has issued a fatwa recognising that cultivated meat can be Halal if it meets certain requirements, with one startup already pursuing the certification.

Cultivated meat can be considered Halal and consumed by Muslims, provided they’re sourced and produced in accordance with Halal standards, according to the Korean Muslim Federation (KMF).

The KMF’s Halal Committee recently issued the world’s second fatwa recognising cultivated meat as Halal, following a similar ruling by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore last year.

A fatwa is a non-binding legal opinion based on Sharia law, and is an important guideline for Muslims on matters not specifically defined in the Quran.

Korean startup Simple Planet has been looking to obtain Halal certification for its cell-cultured ingredients, an effort that will now be accelerated thanks to the ruling.

Simple Planet pursues Halal certification

Simple Planet produces protein powders and unsaturated fatty acid pastes for cultivated meat products, and has established at least 13 different animal cell lines, including beef, pork, chicken, bluefin tuna, and lobster.

Last month, it signed an MoU with the Halal Science Center at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand to integrate Halal Good Manufacturing Practices into biotech-powered food solutions, such as Simple Planet’s cell culture production system.

The two entities will collaborate on Halal science and tech research via resource-sharing, joint academic programmes, and industry-led seminars. In addition, they will support student internships, faculty exchanges, and joint research initiatives to foster a cross-disciplinary approach to Halal certification.

The startup developed an edible, serum-free culture medium using metabolites derived from probiotics, laying the groundwork for Halal adherence while potentially reducing production costs by 99.8%.

“By developing cell-based ingredients that can be safely supplied without being affected by environmental factors and establishing a sustainable food production system, we aim to enhance accessibility to cell-based foods, contribute to food security, and help alleviate hunger worldwide,” said Simple Planet co-founder and CEO Dominic Jeong.

The company has raised $7.5M from private investors and $8M in a government grant and is pursuing regulatory clearance in South Korea, which laid out a framework for the safety approval of these products last year. Working to make its products Halal-certified will open the company up to a bigger audience when it eventually gets to market.

Halal certification clears a significant market barrier

Halal diets refer to food consumption in accordance with Islamic law. When it comes to meat, this means animals must be slaughtered in a prescribed way, and certain types of meat and byproducts – including pork and blood products – are prohibited.

According to the KMF’s fatwa, a thorough inspection of production facilities and processes is required for final Halal certification. But it’s still a significant development that paves the way for local cultivated meat producers to enter the Halal market and attract Muslim consumers. There are around 200,000 Muslims in South Korea today, and 40% of them live in Seoul, data from the KMF shows.

Globally, Halal consumers represent a quarter of the population, and the halal meat market is estimated to grow by 7% annually to reach $1.6T by 2032.

Cultivated meat producers understand the opportunity. A 44-company survey in 2023 revealed that complying with halal requirements was a priority for 87% of the firms. A lack of resources outlining how products can adhere to such religious certifications remain a significant entry barrier, the study added.

The fatwas in Singapore and South Korea follow similar advice from scholars elsewhere. In 2023, three leading Shariah scholars in Saudi Arabia told cultivated chicken maker Good Meat that cultured meat can be considered halal. A year earlier, the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America adjudged cultivated meat as provisionally permissible by default, provided Halal criteria are followed.

“More than a billion people around the world adhere to halal food standards, so for cultivated meat to make the leap from novelty to the norm, it is crucial that there are viable pathways to achieve this certification,” Mirte Gosker, managing director of the Good Food Institute APAC, said last year.