Is Fake Meat Halal?

Is fake meat or plant-based Halal? Well. It looks like an interesting question for Muslims who care about the purity of their food. We can easily say yes to the question if the cells used in preparing the fake or cultured meat are from a Halal-slaughtered animal.  For the meat to be considered Halal, it must not use animal blood or animal-based serum too.

The above answer may satisfy a casual reader. However, we believe we need to dig a bit deeper to really understand the concept fully as the fake meat industry may become quite big in the coming years.

Related: Is Lab-Grown Meat Halal?

What is Fake or Cultured Meat?

According to Wikipedia, fake meat “is a food product made from vegetarian or vegan ingredients and eaten as a replacement for meat”. It is also called meat alternative, cultured meat, meat substitute, or plant-based meat.

Fake meat is generally made with soy such as tofu and wheat gluten.

Related: Is Cooking with Alcohol Halal?

Fake Meat Market Share

Surprisingly, the fake meat share was around 11% of the world’s meat and substitute market in 2022. However, the market share is different from region to region.

The US is a market leader in the fake meat market. Impossible Food and Beyond Meat are two of the largest fake meat producers based in the US.

Why Do People Use Fake Meat?

Most people use fake or alternative meat for any of the following reasons.

• Health consciousness and weight management
  Religious requirements
  Vegan beliefs
  Lower price
  Environmental concerns

Related: How To Confirm Whether the Food in a Restaurant is Halal?

Should You Use Fake Meat or Chicken?

By all means yes if the meat being offered is Halal-certified by a reputable Halal certification authority. ISA Halal certified Beyond Meat products as Halal after carefully inspecting the facilities, products, and product ingredients of the company.

Impossible Food also announced their Impossible Burger was Halal-certified by the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA).

Are There Any Differences of Opinion Among Muslim Scholars?

MUIS advises S’pore Muslims not to eat plant-based Impossible Pork when asked if it’s halal. The Halal Times touched upon this issue in the past in greater detail.