The dummy meat seeks to consolidate its space on the market

For products made from animal cells "there is no real consensus," said Matt Ball, spokesman for The Good Food Institute, an badociation that promotes these alternatives.

When presented in 2013, the first burger cooked in vitro made one of the titles of the name "Frankenburger". At that time, there was talk of "laboratory meat", "artificial meat" or "cultured meat".

Later, the term "clean meat" was used before the more recent "meat-based cells".

In search of the best word to attract consumers, the Good Food Institute published in September 2018 a 37-page study on the perception of different denominations.

In the United States, the Department of Agriculture will be responsible for labeling these new products as they come on the market, starting in 2021, according to the industry's most advanced companies.

Authorities will probably require "precise and descriptive" terms to avoid, for example, allergies, Ball predicts. "In France, we do not wonder how to define this product [de carne celular] Jean-François Hocquette, Director of Research at the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and Editor-in-Chief of the magazine "Meat and Meat Products" (Meat and Meat Products).

For him, cell-based meat, as is currently the case, is a "pile of muscle fibers" whose texture is far removed from sirloin, roast chicken or pork chop and whose flavor is unknown.

In the United States, farmers are trying to anticipate the change in order to avoid the experience of milk producers who witnessed the boom of vegetable drinks sold under the name of "milk". almonds or coconut.

The Association of American Livestock Producers (USCA) argues that the word "meat" should be reserved for the animal born, reared and killed in the traditional way. "Competition in the butchery is welcome as long as the rules of the game are fair," said spokeswoman Lia Biondo.

The American Beef Producers Association (NCBA) has not yet taken a position on animal cell products because it still does not know its exact composition.

But she argues that she will not accept "terms that are not science-based, like" clean meat ", as they denigrate conventional meat by suggesting that it's dirty," he said. said one of its representatives, Danielle Beck.

For herbal products, the badociation is more radical and considers that "some packaging is quite deceptive".

"They use the word meat because it allows them to confuse consumers," laments Jim Dinklage, a farmer in Orchard, in the state of Nebraska, in the Midwest. In the United States, some lawmakers have begun to study the issue.

Last summer, Missouri became the first of 50 states to officially define meat as a food from animals. Other states are discussing the adoption of similar texts.

In France, the deputies adopted last year an amendment, which was then modified and transmitted to the Senate, aiming at modifying the name of the products badociating the terms "steak", "bacon" or "sausage" with the foods comprising "a significant part of plant-based substances".

In Germany, where there is mainly talk of "Fleischersatz" (meat substitute) or "Fleischimitat" (imitation of meat), the Ministry of Agriculture issued end 2018 recommendations that advise people to eat. clearly indicate in the package the adjectives "vegetarian" or "vegan" as well as the substitute used.