Lawmakers in US state capitals are seeking to stifle development of “lab-grown” tuna, pork and other animal proteins, taking a stand against a novel food technology backed by investors such as Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
Republicans in at least seven states have introduced legislation since the beginning of the year to ban sales or distribution of lab-grown meat, a form of edible protein cultivated from animal cells.
The first product — cultivated chicken — won federal approval last year as safe for humans to eat, and has only been available to diners at a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco and an eatery in Washington owned by chef José Andrés.