In countries like Singapore, the U.S., and Israel, lab-grown meat is already approved for human consumption. In 2024, the French startup Gourmey became the first company to submit a request for EU approval for cultivated meat. A second application, from Dutch startup Mosa Meat for lab-grown fat, followed in early 2025. Austria remains among the most vocal opponents of lab-grown meat in the EU.
Cultivated meat is real animal meat produced in a lab from muscle or fat cells extracted from a living animal. These cells are grown in a nutrient solution, similar to how yogurt is made—except with animal tissue. Supporters tout it as a way to enjoy meat without animal suffering, climate-damaging emissions, or health concerns like antibiotic resistance.
Austria Resists: “Factory Meat vs. Regional Food”
Austria, alongside Italy and France, strongly opposes the technology. Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) warned of long-term health uncertainties and threats to Austria’s small-scale livestock farming system—roughly 98,000 farms with an average of just 35 cattle or 138 pigs. “We must not become blindly dependent on a few international food giants,” he said.
But the Good Food Institute Europe disagrees: plant-based and cultivated meat, they argue, allows people to enjoy familiar dishes without the downsides of conventional animal agriculture, and it could create sustainable jobs.
Mixed Opinions Among the Public
Public opinion is divided. A 2024 Good Food Institute survey showed that 63% of Austrians would support lab-grown meat if deemed safe. Yet a survey commissioned by the state of Carinthia found 82% in favor of banning it entirely.
EU Will Decide—Not Member States
Ultimately, the EU decides on approval. “National bans like those in Italy and Hungary contradict internal market rules and likely won’t stand,” said Ivo Rzegotta from the Good Food Institute. Novel food approvals are harmonized across the EU, meaning individual member states can’t go it alone.
Labeling and Cost Still Hurdles
Austria insists on clear labeling: consumers must know whether meat is lab-grown or natural. Just as only milk from animals can be labeled “milk,” Totschnig says “meat” should apply only to naturally grown animal meat.
Mass production is still not financially viable—though the first lab burger cost $250,000 in 2013, costs remain significantly higher than for conventional meat. But advances may lower the price to around €5–6 per kilo in coming years, potentially making lab-grown meat a real market competitor.
