Religious Identity Constraints on Cultivated-Meat Acceptance Decisions

Abstract

The advent of cellular agriculture, specifically the development of cultivated meat, presents a profound paradigm shift in modern food systems, promising substantial amelioration of the environmental and ethical crises associated with conventional animal husbandry. However, the commercial viability and global proliferation of cultivated meat are contingent upon consumer acceptance, which is intricately modulated by complex socio-cultural and psychological variables. Among these, religious identity emerges as a formidable constraint, dictating dietary permissibility through historically entrenched theological frameworks. This paper provides a comprehensive academic investigation into the religious identity constraints on cultivated-meat acceptance decisions across diverse global populations. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study synthesizes quantitative psychometric evaluations with qualitative thematic inquiries to elucidate how adherents of major world religions navigate the ontological ambiguity of in vitro animal tissue. The research operationalizes religious identity centrality, theological stringency, and institutional trust to predict acceptance trajectories. The findings indicate that religious consumers experience heightened cognitive dissonance when confronting cultivated meat, primarily due to unresolved theological debates regarding cellular provenance, slaughter requirements, and the fundamental definition of meat. By mapping these socio-theological constraints, this study contributes to the broader discourse on novel food acceptance and provides critical insights for policymakers, technologists, and regulatory bodies seeking to foster inclusive and culturally responsive food innovation landscapes.