Species-Specific Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Identification of Bovine in Cultured Meat Serum for halal Status

Abstract

Meat culturing technology goes beyond laboratory research and materialises in the market. Nonetheless, this technology has raised concerns among Muslim consumers worldwide due to its medium, especially foetal bovine serum (FBS), which originates from blood. Thus, the aim of this research was to determine the halal status of cultured meat by detecting species-specific DNA of bovine serum as one of the media used during meat production. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was conducted by targeting mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) gene sequences, producing a 165 bp amplicon. The sequences of the primers used were Bovine-F, 5′-CAT CAT AGC AAT TGC CAT AGT CC-3′ and Bovine-R, 5′-GTA CTA GTA GTA TTA GAG CTA GAA TTA G-3′. DNA extraction was conducted using a QIAGEN Blood and Tissue™ commercial kit. The presence study also included a literature review on the Istihalah (transformation) concept in order to determine the halal status of cultured meat. The results revealed that bovine DNA was detected in all samples tested using PCR analysis. Therefore, Istihalah tammah (perfect transformation) does not occur due to the ability of PCR analysis to detect bovine DNA in FBS and is prohibited according to Shariah law.

A review of the discussions on cultivated meat from the Islamic perspective

“…serum and gelatine The conversion ( istihalah ) from non-halal substances to halal substance is not clear Laila al-Shafie [ 46 ] Interview with Dr. ‘Ajil al-Namshi, a Professor in Shariah and Islamic Studies Cultivated Meat is Halal but With Several Requirements The use of stem cells for food research and production is allowed according to the resolution by the International Islamic Fiqh Academy Dr. Bassam al-Shatti, Dr. Sa'd al-‘Anzi and Dr. Jalwi al-Jumai'ah, both Muslim scholars from Kuwait The main requirement for halal cultivated meat production is that cell extraction originates from halal slaughtered animals and no non-halal substance is used during the production process Wortley [ 47 ] Interview with Dr. Mian Nadeem Riaz, Professor of Food Diversity Global cultivated meat market set to boom, but is it halal? If stem cells were derived from a slaughtered halal animal and the growth medium did not contain blood or serum, cultivated meat may be halal Mohd Kashim et al [ 48 ] Research Article Species-Specific Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Identification of Bovine in Cultivated Meat Serum for Halal Status The use of fetal bovine serum (FBS) in cultivated meat production led to non-halal cultivated meat product. FBS is only used in laboratory research, but it will not be used as the main serum media in industrial production.…”

“…The majority of Muslim scholars addressing the halal requirements for halal cultivated meat agree on several fundamental principles [ 9 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 36 , 38 , [40] , [41] , [42] , [43] , [44] , [45] , [46] , [47] , [48] , [49] , [50] , [51] ]: The source of stem cells must be obtained from halal slaughtered animals such as chickens, cows, goats, fish and shrimps. If there is cross-contamination with other non-halal stem cells, it may result in a non-halal cultivated meat.…”

Checkmeat: A Review on the Applicability of Conventional Meat Authentication Techniques to Cultured Meat

“…In principle, cultured meat possesses biological markers that could be used to trace back its animal origins. However, the use of serums in culture media can result in the detection of the animal species that served as the serum or plasma source ( Mohd Kashim et al, 2022 ). Nevertheless, the successful immortalization (induced or spontaneous) of muscle cells, as reported recently, is promising for generating cell lines with increased proliferation and stability, allowing serum-free production of cultured meat ( Pasitka et al, 2023 ; Stout et al, 2023 ).…”

PCR-Based DNA Detection of Bovine on Medium of Cultured Meat for Consumption: Religious Perspectives

“…Meat products are also made into luxury foods and have dedicated fans (Chriki & Hocquette 2020). In fact, along with the growth of the human population, the demand for meat-based products also grew drastically (Kashim et al 2022). One of the measures to meet the needs of meat is to diversify methods and analyses linked to protein production from meat (Aiking 2014).…”