Texas, the top cattle producer in the nation, might seem an unlikely backdrop for confusion over the meaning of words such as “meat” or “beef.”
But that isn t stopping an effort in the state Legislature to officially define them by codifying meat, for instance, as derived solely from carcasses of cows, chickens or other livestock, with no lab-grown, cell cultured, insect or plant-based food products included.
The definitions, contained in a proposed law called the Texas Meat and Imitation Food Act, are needed to prevent makers of meat alternatives, such as plant-based burger patties, from duping consumers regarding the contents of their products, according to agriculture groups that are backing the plan.
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Austin: Texas, the top cattle producer in the United States, might seem an unlikely backdrop for confusion over the meaning of words such as âmeatâ or âbeefâ.
But that isnât stopping an effort in the state Legislature to officially define them - by codifying âmeat,â for instance, as derived solely from carcasses of cows, chickens or other livestock, with no âlab-grown, cell cultured, insect or plant-based food productsâ included.
Ranchers have a real beef with fake meat. Pictured: real beef.
Credit:File
The definitions, contained in a proposed law called the Texas Meat and Imitation Food Act, are needed to prevent makers of meat alternatives, such as plant-based burger patties, from duping consumers regarding the contents of their products, according to agriculture groups that are backing the plan.