Italian plan to ban lab-grown food criticised as misguided

Minister says aim is to safeguard our nation's heritage' but campaigners say artificial meat holds promise

The Italian government has approved a draft law that would ban food grown in laboratories, including artificial meat, as it seeks to safeguard our nation's heritage".

Under the ban, which needs to be passed in both houses of parliament, those who produce, export or import food grown from animal cells would face fines of up to 60,000 and risk having their manufacturing plants closed.