Halacha and technology part 2 - Kashrus

In this post I would like to talk about modern technology and kashrut. There are a number of major areas that need to be addressed:

1. Genetically engineered organisms
2. Lab grown meat
3. Absorption of pots etc.

Genetically Engineered Organisms

Genetically engineered salmon has been approved for consumption by the FDA. The genetic material inserted into the Atlantic salmon comes from two fish, the related Pacific Chinook salmon – which is kosher, and the ocean pout – an eel like fish that is not kosher.  There are a number of questions:

1. Do the genes from a non-kosher animal render the fish non-kosher? 
2. What would the status be of a non-kosher animal that was genetically engineered to have split hooves amd chew it's cud?
3. What is the cut-off point to change the identity of an animal? A few genes, half the genes? 

These are very difficult questions which require a deep knowledge of science as well as halacha. Actually, it is not clear that the halacha really addresses this issue and it is very hard to find precedent. 

Lab grown meat

According to many of the articles that I have been reading, in 5-10 years lab grown meat will take over the world of meat production. Lab grown meat is created by extracting stem cells (the body’s master cells; templates from which specialized tissue develop) from a cow’s muscle tissue. These stem cells are cultured and multiplied with nutrients and growth promoting chemicals, and later coalesced, forming tiny strips of muscle fiber. The question is whether the meat is kosher and whether it is parve? What about lab grown pig? 

Again there is little to no real precedent here.

Absorption of pots

The basic halacha of Yoreh Deah is that pots absorb taste in the walls and therefore if you cook something treif the pot needs to be koshered etc. However, a number of Dati Leumi poskim (see http://revivim.yhb.org.il/2016/09/08/%D7%94%D7%9B%D7%A9%D7%A8%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D-%D7%92%D7%9D-%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%95/ for an interesting discussion) have started to question this. They point out that the scientific evidence shows clearly that today's metal pots (stainless steel) do not absorb and do not discharge any taste. Therefore, they raise the question should we need to kasher pots today?

This is one area where I can easily see a split between the Charedim and more modern poskim. The Charedi poskim will NEVER change the din of kashering pots, whereas I can see more modern poskim (OO and even some MO) changing the psak based on the new reality.

Conclusion

Technology is changing the kashrus landscape rapidly and again the poskim will have to decide whether to be conservative and not make any changes or be bold and apply the technological changes to the halacha. In all 3 areas that I mentioned above, it would not shock me to see a split between the Charedi world and the more modern world. 

In any case, the poskim will have to make tough decisions with little to no precedent available. The Gemara, Shulchan Aruch etc. don't talk about genetic engineering or anything like it. The Gemara, Shulchan Aruch, etc. all assume that pots absorb and much of Yoreh Deah revolves around that. How the poskim deal with the change in reality that pots don't absorb will be fascinating to watch. It will be interesting to see how reality matches the claim that everything is found in Torah.