Meating the future: alcune riflessioni sulla necessità di promuovere un attento dibattito regolatorio in materia di c.d. carne sintetica

While food insecurity, exacerbated by climate change, urges a profound paradigm shift in the agri-food sector, innovation and new technological production processes try to promote sustainable solutions. In this context, Novel Foods represent an interesting yet controversial case-study: in particular, the so-called cultured meat and its legislative discipline has recently been at the centre of a lively political and legislative debate in Italy. The paper aims at offering a first and brief analysis of the multiple challenges legislators and policy-makers – both at national and supranational levels – should consider when regulating – or banning – innovative food products. The regulatory answer, considering the most important principles of EU food law – such as the precautionary principle as well as the prior risk assessment – should carefully balance food security needs, the protection of consumer’s health, animal welfare, sustainability and the safeguard of agri-food sector’s workers and companies.