Hungary bans production and sale of lab-grown “artificial meat”

The Hungarian parliament has passed a law that completely bans the production and distribution of so-called “artificial meat” — products created from animal cells in a laboratory. The law was adopted by 140 votes in favor, 10 against, and 18 abstentions. Hungary became the second country in Europe after Italy to introduce such a ban.

The bill, developed by the Ministry of Agriculture, was submitted for public discussion in the summer of 2024 and submitted to parliament in March by Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semyen, with the support of Agriculture Minister István Nagy. The ban applies to all products isolated or produced from animal cells or tissues in artificial conditions outside a living organism. Exceptions are made only for medical and veterinary purposes.

Tags: Hungary, artificial food