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Scientists are preparing synthesized meat for human consumption. See here for a excerpt, and two articles here and here.
My question is: Would this meat be considered Kosher? Might it depend on the source of the original stem cells (a la ben peku'a)? What else would be a kashrut issue here?
Copied from my post to a similar question here:
Rabbi Daniel Friedman, in an article entitle Pareve Meat (pp. 93-105), wrote a halachic analysis of this topic for the RJJ Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society some years ago (Number LIII from Pesach 5767, Spring 2007). His analysis points to 3 possible conclusions:
Each of these successive conclusions requires an additional level of complication and dependency regarding the Halachic analysis and a willingness to rule to the lenient side of Machloket. Issues involved which he cites include: Chatzei Shiur, ChaNaN (Chaticha Naaseit Neveilah), Ein Mivatalin Issur L'Chatchila, Davar HaMaamid, and Marit Ayin.
I'll conclude by quoting his conclusion:
Pareve "meat" would have to be grown in a medium or culture, which one cannot automatically assume would be kosher. Consequently, the entire process would require kashruth certification. It is unclear whether kashruth authorities would eventually determine the finished product to be fleishig or pareve. However, even if it is considered pareve, one must be aware of potential marit ayin issues, at least until the product becomes widespread. MOre to the point, it is highly questionable if any reputable kashruth organization would even be willing to provide hasgacha for such a product, inasmuch as the entire product is based on numberous heterim.
As I answered here, I think the stem cells used to create artificial meat would be considered a Davar HaMa'amad (an item that causes the food to exist in its present form, and without it would not exist).
a Davar HaMa'amad is never nullified, as such, in order for the artificial meat to be kosher, the stem cells would have to come from a kosher animal.
For a number of reasons, including that the cells are not visible to the naked eye and have changed beyond recognition, Rav Aviner shlita understand such meat to be kosher and parve but cautions that the matter must [ultimately] be decided by the leading Torah scholars.
In a recent statement by COR - Kasruch Council of Canada, they say that it's too early for them to come up with an official position, but that they plan to do so "when the time comes." They preliminarily list the following "interesting halachick issues":
The source animal would have to be kosher, and shechted.
If the cells are taken from a live animal, they could be forbidden as basar min hachai.
It's possible that the meat could count as pareve, as kosher gelatin derived from beef is.
